July 25, 2266 — Kurogane Estate
The first light of dawn crept through the tall windows of the Kurogane Estate, glinting off the sleek surfaces of the minimalist interior and catching the silver streaks of Hayato Kurogane's hair. He lay sprawled in his bedroom, the faint hum of the city far below just beginning to stir.
He had long since adapted to waking early, the quiet hours before sunrise a time for reflection, and preparation. Today, however, was the first day he would participate personally in the canonical flow of events at U.A. High School.
He had seen the school from above with his Domain countless times, observed every corridor, playground, and classroom in his mind, but to walk these halls as a student, to experience the narrative firsthand—this carried a different kind of energy, something that tickled his curiosity and sharpened his anticipation.
Downstairs, the aroma of freshly brewed tea and warm toast greeted him. His parents, impeccably dressed and calm, smiled as he entered the dining hall.
"Good morning, Hayato," his father said, his tone both formal and affectionate. "Breakfast is ready. Eat quickly; you can't be late for your first day at school."
Hayato nodded, his eyes briefly scanning the table before focusing on the plate in front of him. Once breakfast was finished, he stood, brushing crumbs from his jacket. "I'll be heading to the school now," he said. His mother offered a slight nod, his father a subtle smile.
The family limousine awaited, sleek and black, engine purring softly as he slid into the back seat. The city's streets passed beneath the wheels, early morning light glinting on the pavement, the occasional pedestrian or cyclist unaware of the extraordinary passenger heading toward the famed U.A. High.
The limousine rolled up the winding road to the school's entrance, passing meticulously maintained hedges and polished stone pathways.
For all he had seen before, the experience of arriving as a student added a tangible weight to the moment. Stepping from the vehicle, he allowed himself a brief inhale of the crisp morning air, feeling the slight thrill of participation.
No longer a distant observer of his own memories, he was now active in it, a player ready to interact with the events he had long envisioned countless times.
Reporters were already beginning to assemble, cameras flashing, microphones extended, eager for glimpses of the next generation of heroes.
But Hayato ignored them, his calm aura slicing through their nervous energy, a subtle pressure that made even the boldest journalist hesitate and lower their equipment.
The gates of U.A. loomed ahead, monumental in their scale and significance. Students milled about, clusters forming and dissipating, each person radiating ambition, nervousness, or arrogance.
Hayato strode forward with the easy confidence of someone who knew both the world and his place in it.
Every movement was deliberate, measured, but calm—an almost imperceptible radiance of presence emanating from him, subtle but undeniable. He entered the campus, moving through each complex with the casual elegance.
Walking through the hallways, he finally arrived at the classroom marked Class 1-A. The room was pristine, twenty seats arranged in four columns and five rows, sunlight spilling across the floor from the large windows.
As he entered, only a handful of students were present. Hayato found a seat toward the back, reclining slightly, his hands resting on the desk as he observed the sparse activity around him.
Gradually, more students trickled in. Faces he recognized from past observations now became real, physical presences. He greeted each with quiet politeness, small talk mingling with observations of their quirks.
When Momo Yaoyorozu arrived, she chose the bench beside him. "Good morning, Hayato," she said softly, offering a smile.
"Morning, Momo," he replied. Their conversation meandered naturally.
Suddenly, at the front of the classroom the words of Tenya Ida echoed through the room. He immediately addressed Bakugo, who was resting his legs on a bench, glaring with mild irritation.
"Excuse me, your behavior shows a lack of respect for the class. Sit properly!"
Bakugo scoffed, unimpressed, and a light debate ensued. He asked Ida which junior high he had attended. "Somei private academy," Ida responded, calm and composed.
"So you're an elite, huh?" Bakugo sneered. "It'll be fun crushing you."
Ida's gaze sharpened. "Your arrogance—does it truly reflect the character of someone who wants to become a hero?" he asked, challenging Bakugo's philosophy directly.
At that moment, Ochaco Uraraka appeared at the doorway, greeting Midoriya who had just arrived. The small chatter and subtle exchanges created a web of interactions, the room alive with youthful energy and anticipation.
A tired, gravelly voice suddenly cut through the conversation. "Go somewhere else if you want to play at being friends."
On the other side of the door, a figure in a sleeping bag stirred, stretching lazily like a caterpillar uncoiling. He emerged fully, clicking a timer in his hands. "It took you eight seconds to calm down. Time is limited, and you kids are not rational enough."
His voice carried authority, fatigue, and an unsettling calm.
The students collectively stared, curiosity and caution mingling. The man's eyes swept across the room, sharp and calculating. "I'm your homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa. Nice to meet you. Now, it's sudden, but put on your uniforms and get to the grounds quickly."
Without further explanation, he turned and walked away, leaving a stunned silence in his wake.
The students moved swiftly, some whispering in anticipation, others adjusting their uniforms with a mix of nervous energy and excitement. Those who had arrived late introduced themselves to Hayato as they gathered in the gymnasium, where Aizawa awaited.
"Today," Aizawa said without preamble, "you will undergo a quirk assessment. There will be no introductory orientations, no leisurely activities. If you intend to be a hero, you won't have time for those."
His tone was stern, commanding attention effortlessly. "As the homeroom teacher, I have full authority over this class. We'll start with physical tests—simple exercises you did in junior high, now enhanced with your quirks. This will determine your abilities and potential."
The first to step forward was Bakugo. Aizawa asked for his junior high record in softball throw. "Sixty-seven meters," Bakugo replied confidently. Aizawa instructed him to perform the throw using his quirk.
With a loud shout, "DIE!" Bakugo unleashed a blast, propelling the ball explosively into the sky. It soared to seven hundred and fifty meters, leaving weaker students gaping in awe.
Excitement swept the room, a brief rush of exhilaration at the prospect of being able to use their quirks freely, but Aizawa's gaze darkened.
"It looks fun, isn't it? You only have three years to become a hero. With that attitude, how will you grow?"
Then with a subtle smirk his voice hardened. "The one who scores lowest across all eight physical tests will be judged to have no potential and face expulsion from U.A."
A collective gasp ran through the students. Hayato's eyes briefly scanned the room, assessing each individual. He already knew who would rank lowest—Izuku Midoriya, struggling with his out of control quirk—but Hayato remained calm, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He had no intention of showing his full strength, only enough to demonstrate superiority without causing unnecessary attention.
The eight tests commenced: 50-meter dash, grip strength, standing long jump, repeated side steps, ball throw, distance run, seated toe-touch, and sit-ups.
In the 50-meter dash, Hayato surged ahead from the start and finished in an astonishing 0.1 seconds, claiming first place effortlessly. Iida came in second with a respectable 3.01 seconds, a slight improvement over his canon time of 3.04 seconds.
During the grip strength test, Hayato casually crushed the machine as if it were clay, moulding it into a ball. His display of raw power left many whispering nervously, "I definitely don't want to arm wrestle him."
Even Mezo Shoji, the four-armed contender who secured second place with 540 kg, instinctively stepped back when Hayato extended a congratulatory handshake.
The standing long jump was equally impressive. Hayato leaped with effortless grace, almost grazing the ceiling with his height and distance. Inwardly, he grumbled, realizing he had just missed hitting the ceiling while trying to look cool—though a subtle assist from the system helped him.
In the repeated side steps, he moved so fast it seemed as if he had created two clones and was standing still. Aizawa, however, confirmed that it wasn't cloning at all—it was simply a speed mirage.
Hayato's incredible velocity left others in despair, their complaints about his godlike Quirk echoing around the gym.
Yet Aizawa's narrowed eyes told a different story; he was certain that Hayato hadn't relied on any Quirk to achieve these feats. Every movement was powered purely by his body—an observation that left even the seasoned teacher questioning what kind of Quirk he might possess.
After all the tests concluded, the results were handed out to the students, solidifying Hayato's unmatched dominance in the trials. Hayato's results were unsurprising—he ranked first in each test effortlessly, his body honed beyond peak human limits, a living embodiment of raw power.
His race was completed in a mere 0.01 seconds, drawing gasps of astonishment from classmates. Every other student, including Momo, watched in awe as his physical abilities became apparent.
Izuku Midoriya, meanwhile, struggled to keep pace. Each test saw him ranking last, his heart and mind resolute but his body unable to safely unleash One For All's full potential. Aizawa's frown deepened with each observation, cross-referencing Midoriya's enhancer quirk profile with the pitiful performance on display.
When it came to the ball throw, Midoriya risked everything. Activating One For All at maximum, he hurled the ball with all his might, intending to risk his arm. The result: forty-six meters—a disaster compared to his peers.
"No need to be confused, I nullified your quirk."
Aizawa's bandages slithered through the air, his eyes glowing red, nullifying Midoriya's quirk in a display of terrifying precision. "The entrance exam was not rational. Even a kid like you got accepted," he said coldly.
"You can't control your quirk. Your intention forces others to compensate for your limitations. With this condition, even with your spirit, you can only save one person before you collapse. Izuku Midoriya, with your quirk, you cannot become a hero."
Midoriya froze, the revelation hitting him with the weight of a dump truck. Bandages wrapped around him, drawing him closer, yet his resolve did not waver. Aizawa left after saying he got two more chances to show what he got.
Left alone, he tried again, carefully remembering the conversation he had with All Might. He thought about when he explained the feeling he got when he first used One For All at 100% which was like an egg in a microwave and All Might advised him to try to imagine the same without making the egg explode.
This time focusing on the tip of one finger, carefully channelling One For All with a minor injury. The ball soared, boom echoing through the gym, and Midoriya's words were firm: "I will definitely become a hero."
All Might, observing secretly, allowed himself a faint, proud smile. Even Aizawa's expression softened slightly. "So he did have some potential, after all," he murmured.
Then the results were announced:
Hayato Kurogane, 1st
Momo Yaoyorozu, 2nd
Shoto Todoroki, 3rd
Katsuki Bakugo, 4th
Tenya Ida, 5th
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.
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Kyoka Jiro, 18th
Toru Hagakure, 19th
Izuku Midoriya, 20th
Midoriya, crestfallen, breathed slowly, reaffirming internally that he had given everything he could. Aizawa, observing calmly, explained that the threat of expulsion had been a motivational tactic.
Momo's soft chuckle confirmed the obvious: "Come on, it was just to scare us. They won't expel us on day one."
As the students dispersed, Aizawa's instructions lingered: prepare for a rigorous curriculum, as tomorrow would bring more classes, tests, and challenges.
Hayato returned to his family's car after the remaining classes ended, the weight of the day settling into a quiet satisfaction.