Mha: Sand Sand Fruit

**U.A. High School, Hero Department – Exam Briefing Venue**

Akira glanced at the title displayed on the large screen at the entrance before stepping into the hall. The interior resembled a spacious movie theater, with rows of seats arranged in a semi-circle around a massive stage.

He found a seat near the middle and settled in. Moments later, Midoriya Izuku followed and sat beside him, clutching his exam pass nervously.

About five minutes later, the lights dimmed, and a bright logo with the emblem of U.A. appeared on the massive screen.

Suddenly, a booming voice filled the room.

"Welcome, aspiring heroes, to my live broadcast today!"

The screen lit up with a lively figure spinning dramatically—Present Mic, the voice hero and U.A.'s English teacher.

"Are you ready?" Present Mic shouted, his enthusiastic tone echoing throughout the hall.

The room, however, remained silent.

Present Mic paused, scratching his head. "Tough crowd, huh? Well, no matter!" He quickly shifted gears.

"Let's get down to business. Dear candidates, I'll now explain the outline of your practical exam. Pay attention!"

The screen behind him changed to display a virtual map of several city-like zones.

"You will participate in a 10-minute simulated battle drill at designated test sites. Use your Quirks to earn points by taking down *villain bots*! There are three types of these bots, each assigned a point value based on difficulty. The more points you score, the better your chances of passing!"

He paused for dramatic effect, allowing his words to sink in.

"Remember, this is a competition. You are not allowed to attack your fellow candidates! Hero work is about teamwork, not sabotage."

At this, a boy with glasses stood up, raising his hand. "May I ask a question?" It was Iida Tenya, his precise tone drawing everyone's attention.

"Sure thing!" Present Mic replied, gesturing for him to continue.

"On the briefing materials, there are four types of villain bots listed. The first three have point values, but the fourth has none. Is this an error?" Iida's sharp inquiry left some murmurs in the audience.

Present Mic grinned, raising a hand to silence the murmurs. "Good question! The fourth type of bot is a *zero-pointer*. It's not an error—it's an obstacle! These bots are huge, dangerous, and tough to take down. But defeating them won't earn you a single point. My advice? Avoid them and focus on the smaller bots. Got it?"

The room buzzed with understanding. Candidates began whispering strategies among themselves, already planning how to tackle the challenge ahead.

"One last thing!" Present Mic's voice boomed once more. "Real heroes overcome adversity to bring hope to others! Give it your all, everyone!"

With that, the briefing ended, and the candidates started filing out to their respective test sites.

---

**Outside the Exam Venue**

"Which site are you assigned to?" Akira asked as he and Midoriya walked out of the hall.

"Site B," Midoriya replied, glancing at his slip. "What about you?"

"Site A," Akira said casually, tucking his slip back into his pocket.

Midoriya let out a relieved sigh. "Good. If we were in the same zone, you'd probably wipe out all the bots before I even got a chance."

Akira smirked. "You give me too much credit."

Just then, a familiar voice barked from behind. "Outta my way, nerds!"

Both turned to see Bakugo Katsuki striding past them, his usual scowl firmly in place.

"Bakugo?" Midoriya said, surprised.

Bakugo stopped in his tracks and turned toward Akira, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "So, you're in Site A too, huh?"

Akira raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Bakugo chuckled darkly, the sparks of his Quirk already crackling at his palms. "Good. I'll show everyone who the real top dog is!"

Ignoring Bakugo's outburst, Akira turned back to Midoriya. "Let's go. We'll both do fine."

---

**Test Site A**

When the bus pulled up to the massive facility, gasps of awe spread among the candidates.

The sprawling, city-like simulation zone stood before them, its scale far larger than anyone had anticipated.

"This is insane," one candidate whispered. "They really went all out!"

"It's U.A. after all," another replied, a mix of excitement and nervousness in their tone.

Bakugo, however, was laser-focused. His eyes darted to Akira, his jaw clenched. *I'll crush him. I'll prove I'm the best!*

Just as everyone was gathering their thoughts, Present Mic's voice erupted through the loudspeakers.

"What are you all standing around for? There's no countdown in real battles! The exam has already begun—move it!"

Before anyone could react, a deafening explosion echoed. Bakugo had already launched himself into the zone, propelled by his Quirk.

Akira glanced at the panicked candidates scrambling to follow. "Well, no point in wasting time."

He adjusted his gloves, a calm smirk on his face, and stepped into the fray.