Entrance Exam

"Today's the day U.A. High School held its entrance exam."

Jilan Jiyu took a deep breath, stepped out of his bedroom, and put on the tracksuit he had bought earlier for most of a month's wages. To be honest, it was the first time he had splurged so much on something for daily use.

The school did provide decent-quality clothes, but he had worn them somewhat ragged training his Quirk. He wouldn't face any discrimination at school for wearing clothes he had mended himself, but this was U.A. High School, the place said to produce the best Pro Heroes in all of Japan. There were bound to be plenty of students from Pro Hero families.

Jilan Jiyu didn't care what others thought of him, but it was best to avoid trouble when he could. He had no desire to play the pig to eat the tiger, show off, or slap anyone's face. Passing the entrance exam without a hitch would be enough to accomplish his goal.

The previous evening, Inasa Yoarashi had called to tell Jilan Jiyu that he had passed his exam with the highest score ever recorded. Along with sharing the good news, he had offered Jilan Jiyu some encouragement.

"You were my role model back then! You have to pass U.A.'s entrance exam and show Endeavor's son what's what!"

Inasa Yoarashi was usually gentle and polite to others, but he became somewhat extreme whenever Endeavor was involved. Though that could also give him the drive to move forward, Jilan Jiyu couldn't shake the feeling that something bad would happen if that hatred kept burning.

But he wasn't really in a position to worry about anyone else...

He thought of Camie Utsushimi's somewhat fanatical attitude toward him a few days ago, and how he had struggled to control his urge to gently touch her body with his hands, end her life amid her screams, and leave nothing but a hand...

Jilan Jiyu silently touched his nails, which he had just trimmed the night before. His hands were as smooth and rounded as a young girl's, with a pale white complexion, but who could have imagined that they held the power to make people disappear...

Though he had managed to get through that encounter a few days ago, and had even failed to resist destroying another hand that night, his urge to make something disappear hadn't gone away. It had merely hidden itself for the time being, and no one knew when it would resurface.

But Jilan Jiyu was certain of one thing-as his vitality grew stronger, the time between appearances would get shorter and shorter.

"But I'm not Yoshikage Kira! In the end, this desire is just a byproduct of my Stand. As long as I don't use that Quirk, there won't be any major problems."

"Deku, I can't believe you actually dared to come! You can't possibly pass the test anyway, so don't embarrass our school!"

At the entrance to U.A. High School's Hero Course exam, a blond boy with spiky hair who looked like a delinquent thrust his face up to a boy with green, seaweed-like hair and spoke with a fierce expression.

The green-haired boy gently pushed him away, looking helpless. "Kacchan, don't do this. We're representing our school here."

"Huh? You've got the nerve to bring up the school?!" The blond boy's face suddenly twisted. He raised an arm, looking ready to hit him. "If it weren't for you, I'd be the only one from our school in years to have the honor of applying to U.A. High School!"

Just as the blond boy's fist was about to make intimate contact with the green-haired boy, Jilan Jiyu moved.

Golden Hamon silently coiled around Jilan Jiyu's body with his breathing, providing it with a powerful burst of momentum. He precisely grabbed the blond boy's arm, firmly stopping it from moving forward.

"Let go of me, you bastard, or I'll kill you!" The blond boy jerked his head up. He hadn't used his Quirk for that strike, nor had he put much force behind it, but having someone stop it like that really did make him angry!

"Hey, can you calm down?" Jilan Jiyu looked calmly at his face, twisted with anger. "I don't care what grudge you two have against each other, but this is right outside U.A. If you two start fighting, I don't care what happens to you, but I'm standing right beside you. I could get caught up in it and be rejected by U.A. too."

He froze for a moment, then pulled his fist back sharply and rotated his wrist.

The blond boy shoved his hands into his pockets. Though he still looked irritated, he stopped fighting. He took a couple of steps toward the campus, then stopped.

He turned around and calmly asked Jilan Jiyu, "What's your name?"

"Jilan Jiyu."

He suddenly bristled like a cat and shouted at Jilan Jiyu, "Tch, my name's Katsuki Bakugo. You'd better remember it! Next time, I'll knock your teeth out!"

"...Did I just get myself into trouble for no reason?"

Jilan Jiyu sighed. If he'd known this would happen, he shouldn't have gotten involved. No, though he was a little reluctant, his reasoning was just what he'd told Katsuki Bakugo. If he had stood by and watched this guy get beaten, who knew what would have happened?

"Um... thank you!" The green-haired boy came to his senses and bowed to Jilan Jiyu very politely, calling out loudly, "I apologize for Kacchan! He just talks tough. He won't cause you any trouble!"

Watching the green-haired boy make excuses for the person who had tried to use violence against him, Jilan Jiyu couldn't help asking curiously, "He was about to hit you. Why are you still speaking up for him?"

He straightened up and said, a little embarrassed, "I'm Izuku Midoriya. Kacchan and I have been classmates since we were little. Maybe his attitude toward me gave you the wrong idea, but he really cares about me. He was just being a little irritable because he's worried I won't get into U.A."

That can't be right, can it? No matter how you looked at it, that attitude couldn't be called caring, could it?

Jilan Jiyu walked toward the exam venue without a word. Had he actually interrupted their "greeting"? He really shouldn't have meddled...

"Huh? Wait for me!" Seeing Jilan Jiyu walking away, Midoriya hurried after him in a bit of a panic, but his foot caught on something, and he toppled forward out of control.

Midoriya had already closed his eyes and accepted that he was going to fall, but the expected impact never came. He opened his eyes in confusion—his body was floating in the air as if defying gravity, and a girl had her hand pressed against his schoolbag.

"Are you okay?" As she spoke, she helped Midoriya, who was kicking wildly in the air, upright and set him on the ground.

She pressed her palms together and smiled apologetically. "That's my Quirk. Sorry for using it on you without asking."

"But..." She tilted her head. "Taking a fall would be bad luck."

"Um... ah..." Midoriya's face turned bright red. He waved his hands around in the air, unable to speak.

"Let's both do our best. See you!" The girl smiled and waved as she said goodbye to Midoriya.

"..."

Midoriya stood there blankly, his face growing redder and redder. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

"What a strange person." Jilan Jiyu shook his head and entered the venue for U.A.'s Hero Course exam.