Final Exams?!
After returning from their internships, life at U.A. moved forward as the students of Class 1-A began preparing for the next phase of their hero training. The atmosphere had changed slightly—everyone was more serious, more focused. The events with the Hero Killer Stain, their internships, and the Sports Festival had pushed them all to a new level.
In the classroom, Aizawa stood at the front, explaining the next part of their curriculum. "Now that your internships are over and you've had some real hero experience, we'll be focusing on something new—final exams."
The class groaned collectively.
"Final exams already?" Kaminari whined, slumping forward on his desk. "We just finished the Sports Festival and internships, can't we get a break?"
Bakugo, sitting with his usual scowl, crossed his arms. "If you're complaining about a damn exam, you're an idiot. We're here to be heroes, not slackers."
Junko glanced over at Bakugo, hiding a smirk. "You're just saying that because you know you'll ace it."
Bakugo huffed, turning his glare toward her. "You better not fall behind, Sogeki. I don't carry dead weight."
"I don't need to be carried," Junko shot back, flashing a confident grin. "And don't worry, I'm ready for whatever they throw at us."
As the day went on, the class buzzed with conversations about the upcoming exams. It was clear everyone had their own anxieties about it, especially after hearing rumors that the exams might not be as simple as written tests.
"I heard we'll have to face robots like last time," Kirishima said during lunch, sounding both excited and nervous. "You know, like during the entrance exam."
"Nah, I bet it's worse than that," Mina chimed in. "They always like to throw surprises at us. I wouldn't be surprised if we had to face the teachers themselves!"
"That would be intense," Junko said, leaning back in her seat. "But it would also be kind of fun."
Bakugo glanced at her from across the table, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Fun? You think getting your ass kicked by pros is fun?"
Junko raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "Only if I get to kick back."
The group laughed, and Bakugo rolled his eyes, though there was a faint smirk on his face.
The day of the final exams arrived sooner than expected. Aizawa stood before the class, giving them their instructions.
"Your exams will be split into two parts," he explained. "First, the written portion. Then, for the practical exam, you'll be paired up to face one of the teachers."
Mina gasped. "We really do have to fight the teachers?!"
Aizawa gave her a flat look. "That's correct. We've decided it's time for you to face real opponents, rather than just robots."
Junko's eyes lit up with excitement. She couldn't help but glance over at Bakugo, who seemed equally pumped about the challenge. This would be their chance to show how much they had grown since the internships—and she was ready to prove herself.
As Aizawa began listing off the pairs, Junko waited eagerly to hear who her partner would be.
"Lastly, Denki Kaminari and Junko Sogeki against Snipe."
- - -
This wasn't going to be an easy match, especially since Snipe's quirk was a close cousin to her own. Long-range combat was his specialty, and with years of experience under his belt. Still, that wasn't about to stop her.
