The atmosphere shifted the second the rules were fully explained.
The bus ride chatter, the joking, the confidence—it all quietly drained away under the realization that this wasn't a mock battle.
This wasn't beating a machine.
This wasn't working harder than your classmates.
This was:
Beat a professional hero.
Or escape one.
The training city stretched endlessly.
Artificial streets.
Apartment blocks.
Office buildings.
Narrow alleys.
Elevated roads.
It looked less like a battlefield and more like a place someone actually lived in—except there wasn't a single civilian.
Only the quiet.
And ten battles waiting to happen.
Students scattered naturally.
Some stretching.
Some talking strategy.
Some staring at their assigned teacher with the expression of someone realizing they may have made poor life choices.
Nearby, Aizawa stood with his capture scarf wrapped around his neck.
Principal Nezu was still comfortably perched in the scarf.
He looked completely harmless.
That somehow made him more terrifying.
...
Izuku crouched on the curb.
Notebook open.
Writing.
Crossing out.
Writing again.
Uraraka peeked over.
"...You started making notes already?"
Izuku jumped.
"N-notes calm me down."
She looked.
Pages.
Teacher habits.
Mobility.
Blind spots.
Estimated restraint methods.
Probability charts.
Uraraka blinked.
"...You started ranking our teachers?"
Izuku immediately covered the notebook.
"THIS ISN'T WEIRD."
She stared.
Then smiled.
"...Okay. So what's the plan?"
Izuku paused.
Then looked toward their assigned teacher.
And immediately looked away.
"...Don't get hit."
...
Shoji sat quietly.
Todoroki sat beside him.
Eating cold soba.
Shoji looked over.
"...You brought lunch."
Todoroki nodded.
"We have fifteen minutes."
Shoji accepted that logic.
After several seconds—
"...Strategy?"
Todoroki swallowed.
"Win."
Shoji considered that.
Reasonable.
...
Denki looked unusually serious.
Jirou noticed.
"...You're thinking."
Denki nodded.
"I don't wanna fry my brain."
"...Good goal."
He looked around.
"...Actually no, serious question."
Jirou looked.
"What?"
Denki pointed.
"Why are all the teachers built like final bosses?"
Present Mic was laughing.
Cementoss looked immovable.
Snipe had a rifle.
Midnight existed.
Denki looked horrified.
"...Why are we legally allowed to fight these people?"
Jirou deadpanned.
"Character development."
...
Mina stretched dramatically.
Tokoyami stood nearby.
Dark Shadow emerged.
Mina grinned.
"Excited?"
Dark Shadow immediately answered.
"NO."
Tokoyami nodded.
"Understandable."
...
Bakugo sat on a railing.
Arms crossed.
Scowling.
Kuro sat upside down on a lamp post.
Bakugo finally spoke.
"...You already know the rule."
Kuro tilted his head.
"Punch teacher?"
Bakugo looked offended.
"No."
Pause.
Then—
"We're not losing."
Kuro smiled.
Simple.
Confident.
"Sure."
Bakugo stared.
"...That's it?"
Kuro shrugged.
"You'll explode things."
Points at self.
"I'll punch things."
Bakugo slowly nodded.
That was acceptable.
Then—
A tiny explosion.
Bakugo looked over.
Kuro looked over.
...
Momo had charts, clear explanations and a dedicated plan for whoever her partner would be.
Mineta had fear.
She explained.
"If we account for teacher behaviour, terrain manipulation, and timed restraint deployment—"
Mineta raised his hand.
"Question."
She nodded.
"What if we cry?"
Eventually—
A loud horn echoed.
Teachers stood.
Students lined up.
Nezu smiled.
His tiny voice carried effortlessly.
"Fifteen minutes are over!"
The city suddenly felt much larger.
"Students."
His eyes curved pleasantly.
"Please remember."
A pause.
Then—
"Heroes don't always fight villains."
The smile remained.
"Sometimes…"
The teachers began moving.
"...you fight people stronger than you."
One by one—
Pairs were called.
Gates opened.
Students entered.
And Class 1-A's practical exam—
began.
______________________________________________________________________
[Auther: Today, I'll give short chapter since I've things to do.]