𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 || ᵇ.ᵏᵃᵗˢᵘᵏⁱ

LIII

🗡️🗡️🗡️

The room was packed full of students waiting to take the exam. 1540 bodies crowded into one room that was definitely not big enough for that many people. Bakugou grunted next to her every time someone would brush up against him, getting increasingly angry with each passing second. Aeri kept her attention on the man explaining the rules of the first part of the exam but brushed her finger across the back of his hand, letting him know she was there.

"You will each receive three targets that you must place on an exposed part of your body. You will also receive a box of six orange balls. You must use the balls to hit the targets of other students and you will be eliminated if all three of your targets are hit. To pass this part of the exam you have to eliminate two other students using the balls provided." The man drawled, not looking too excited to be there.

He walked off the stage and the students all received the supplies they needed. Aeri stuck the adhesive targets onto her front, deeming it safer since she wouldn't have to keep looking behind her. She had one on her chest and two on her stomach.

She made eye contact with an ecstatic-looking Jungwon, who'd stuck his targets in a row along his torso. They both had the upper hand in this part of the exam, with their impeccable aim and stealth. Aeri didn't know if she'd be able to blend into the shadows just yet, she hadn't seen the arena they'd be in but if she could, then there was no way she'd fail.

She was startled when the walls of the room collapsed outward revealing an enormous arena, unfortunately without any shadowed areas. The different classes separated leaving UA standing directly in the centre. Aeri recalled what Hyunjin said would happen, what he experienced in his exam, 'The Crushing of UA'.

Apparently, the schools would all target them since their quirks were all made public by the sports festival.

"They're all going to target us. We should all stick together," Midoriya suggested, looking nervously around the arena to the other 1518 students who were eyeing them like prey.

"You're on your own," Aeri and Jungwon said in unison, standing next to each other. Bakugou joined their sides, already having decided he'd stick with Aeri.

"But if we stay together we have a better chance of passing..." Midoriya blanched.

"You have a better chance of surviving if we're all together, Aeri and I have a better chance of surviving if we're alone...and Bakugou too I guess." Jungwon pointed out. They couldn't be stealthy if they were with a group of people.

The alarm went a second later and the balls came flying at them immediately. Aeri grabbed Bakugou's arm, teleporting both him and Jungwon to behind one of the rock faces. Thankfully, Bakugou had started to get used to teleporting and barely felt nauseous anymore but Aeri hid him for a second just in case.

Someone rounded the corner and Jungwon struck, slinging three balls out and hitting all of the targets on the girl's body, eliminating her barely a minute into the exam.

"Woah good job, Jungwon." Aeri praised as the eliminated girl ran off in embarrassment.

"Don't fall behind," Jungwon winked cockily, scooping his balls up from the floor before he snuck off to eliminate one more student before he could pass and exit the arena.

Aeri scoffed and she and Bakugou joined the absolute carnage going on around them. With one fell swoop of her arm, Aeri eliminated three people with only four balls—two people who already had two targets hit, the single ball bouncing from one person's target to the other's, and one person who still had all 3 of his targets intact—she'd secured her pass with barely any effort and Bakugou followed a few minutes later. She kissed his cheek and then teleported them to the opening where the finalists went, taking a seat next to Jungwon who was already there chatting animatedly with the guy who eliminated 120 people in one go.