Mateo left the interview room with a bitter taste in his mouth. The white-haired man's deception rankled, but he'd gotten in. That was what mattered.
The hallway outside was a gleaming tunnel of polished white alloy and blue accent lighting. Dozens of other applicants lined the walls, some sitting on benches with their heads in their hands, others pacing nervously. A few wore expressions of defeat—their interviews clearly hadn't gone as well as his.
"Hey there."
Mateo turned to see a broad-shouldered young man with a brown buzzcut standing in front of him. The stranger had an earnest expression that seemed out of place in a competition like this.
"You just finished your interview?" the stranger asked, approaching with an outstretched hand. "I'm Ben. Ben Clark."
Mateo reluctantly shook his hand. "Mateo."
"How'd it go in there? Mine was weird—guy with the silver hair kept asking strange questions. Didn't even care about my quirk until the end."
Before Mateo could respond, a sharp voice cut through the hallway.
"Attention, applicants!"
A tall woman in a crisp navy uniform stood at the end of the corridor. Her dark hair was pulled back in a severe bun, and a holographic badge on her chest identified her as "Commander Reeves." The crowd of applicants immediately fell silent.
"Due to the escalating conflict at our nation's borders, this year's entrance process has been modified," she announced, her voice carrying effortlessly through the space. "Instead of the traditional three-phase examination, you will undergo a single combat assessment."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Someone behind Mateo whispered, "They're desperate for new recruits."
Commander Reeves continued, "You will be paired with another applicant and sent into our simulation arena. The environment replicates actual conflict zones you may encounter as heroes. Your performance will be evaluated on combat skill, quirk application, adaptability, and strategic thinking."
She tapped her wrist, and a holographic display appeared above her head showing a rotation of pairs. Mateo scanned the names, looking for his own.
"Mendoza versus Velez," he read aloud. Velez? The name sounded familiar.
"You got paired with Alex?" Ben grimaced. "Tough break. My cousin went to school with her—said her quirk is no joke."
So Velez was Alex. "We've met," Mateo said flatly.
"Better you than me. I got paired with some guy named Henrik. No idea what his quirk is." Ben shrugged, his perpetual good humor seemingly unshakable. "Want to grab something from the vending machines while we wait? They've got these energy bars that taste like sawdust but apparently increase reaction time by thirteen percent."
"Ben. What did I tell you about trying to make friends with everyone you meet?" A feminine voice called from behind him.
Mateo turned to see a girl shorter than him approach Ben's side. She had a black ponytail with chopped bangs, Asian features, and wore a green oversized cardigan. She gave Ben a gentle but exasperated tap on his elbow.
Ben shrugged and laughed softly. Mateo felt put off by his outgoing attitude.
"So, who are you to Ben?" Mateo asked the girl out of boredom.
She sighed. "His friend."
"Well, well. Look who made it through the interview."
Mateo's muscles tensed before he even turned around. He knew that voice.
Brett.
He turned to see him, arms folded over his muscled chest visible through his dirty cotton shirt and rumpled jean jacket. This was the last place he expected to see Brett. The last time they spoke, he was engulfed in Mateo's uncontrollable mass of slime. That had been just yesterday. Now he looked clean—well, as clean as the alley rat could look, not that Mateo himself was one to talk.
"Surprised to see me?" Brett asked, his mouth curling into a sneer.
"I'm surprised to see you're still alive," Mateo said evenly, trying to act nonchalant.
Ben looked between them, eyebrows raised. "You guys know each other?"
"We had a disagreement," Mateo said before Brett could speak. "What are you even doing here? In the hero's course?"
"We all saw the announcement," Brett replied with a dismissive wave. "The world needs more heroes, right? And honestly, I just want to fight some more people."
Mateo sighed, not letting the insult reach him. He wanted to be annoyed by Brett's motive, but he couldn't say his own was any better.
"Applicants will be called in pairs," Commander Reeves announced. "You'll have five minutes to familiarize yourself with the arena before the combat begins. First up: Clark and Mercer."
"Looks like I'm already up," Ben said, rising without a shred of anxiety. "What round are you, Mateo?"
"Round two," he said, feeling tension rising under his skin. At least he wasn't round one and could have a chance to see how fights played out and analyze moves he could use against his opponent.
Alex.
He still didn't know what her power was. He never told her about his quirk, and she never told him about hers. Now he was running in blind.
Brett smirked. "I'm in round eight. Try not to get eliminated before I get the chance to put you in your place."
"Is he always this pleasant?" Ben asked as Brett stalked away to join another group of applicants.
"Yeah," Mateo sighed. "What's your quirk anyway?"
"You'll see." Ben smiled. "Let's just say I'm really reliable."
With that, he walked away, following Commander Reeves alongside a shorter boy with pale skin who hunched over—presumably Henrik, Ben's opponent—as they walked through a set of double doors.
Mateo looked up at the black LCD screen lighting up as the competitors entered the battlefield from opposite sides.
The arena was larger than he'd expected, at least the size of a football field. Ruined buildings created multiple levels of engagement—they could fight on the ground or gain height advantage.
Ben and the pale boy walked toward each other from opposite sides of the arena, sizing each other up.
Mateo locked his eyes on the screen. He would analyze every move, every action, every play that could give him an advantage over his own opponent.
The first fight was about to begin.