The Villainess's Journey To Heroism

Chapter 20: Spirit World

Eijiro and Denki, sporting their new hero costumes, watched Izuku's demonstration with wide eyes. "Those kicks are insane!" Denki exclaimed, his voice buzzing with excitement. "He's practically flying!"

"Yeah, those soles must be amazing," Eijiro agreed, flexing his own new gauntlets. "Mei Hatsume really outdid herself."

Izuku, panting slightly, grinned. "It's all thanks to Mei! She really helped me develop my Shoot Style."

Before Denki could delve further, a booming voice cut through the chatter. "Attention, students!" Vlad King, the stoic pro hero and teacher of Class 1-B, strode onto the training grounds. Behind him, the students of Class 1-B, followed in his wake.

Neito Monoma, the present thorn in Class 1-A's side, leaned forward, his smirk widening. "Ah, Class 1-A. So eager to face your superiors? I'm sure you'll all fail miserably." His words were a barb, aimed to provoke and unsettle.

Shota Aizawa, their stoic homeroom teacher, stepped forward, his gaze piercing. "Quiet, Monoma," he commanded, his voice a low growl. "This isn't a competition between Class 1-A and 1-B."

Monoma's smirk faltered, his arrogance momentarily shaken. "What? But we're rivals!" he protested, his voice laced with confusion.

Aizawa sighed, his expression weary. "This exam is for the provisional hero license. The dates of the Licensing Exam differs. Most of the participants won't be first-year students. They'll have more experience than you, and they'll be tougher competition."

A murmur of concern rippled through Class 1-A. The weight of the exam, the pressure to succeed, suddenly felt heavier.

"So, focus on your own training," Aizawa continued, his voice firm. "This exam is about proving yourselves, not proving you're better than others."

Later that night, the girls gathered in the common area, their faces etched with a mix of excitement and anxiety.

"I'm so nervous about the exam," Mina fretted, twirling a strand of her pink hair. "I've been practicing my Acid Quirk non-stop, but I'm not sure if it's enough."

Toru, her invisible form shimmering slightly, nodded in agreement. "Me too. I've been working on improving my camouflage, but I'm still not sure how effective it will be against experienced heroes."

Momo, her expression serious, added, "I've been trying to perfect my ultimate move, but my body just can't handle it yet. I need to find a way to increase my stamina."

Tsuyu, spoke in her signature monotone. "My new move is more frog-like than ever before. I'm hoping it will give me an edge in the exam."

Jirou, her headphones plugged in, her gaze distant, spoke up. "Speaking of new moves, did anyone hear from Hina? She said she had somewhere to go for a few days."

Mina's face fell, her smile fading. "Yeah, I miss her. She makes things more fun. It's oddly quiet without her."

Jirou smirked, a hint of amusement in her voice. "And now that she's gone, no one's having a yelling competition with Bakugou anymore. It's kinda quiet."

Ochaco, her gaze fixed on the window, barely registered their words.

"Ochaco, are you alright?" Tsuyu asked, her voice soft. "You seem a bit distant."

Ochaco, startled, looked up. "Oh, sorry. I'm just...thinking about the exam."

Mina, her eyes twinkling with mischief, leaned in. "Come on, Ochaco, we all know you're thinking about someone. Are you crushing on Tenya or Izuku?"

Ochaco's cheeks flushed crimson. "N-no! I'm not! I'm just worried about the exam!"

She quickly used her Quirk to float away, her heart pounding in her chest. As she drifted away, she caught sight of Izuku practicing his kicks outside the window. A warm feeling spread through her chest, and she couldn't help but smile.

Two Nights Prior
"Hina, come on! We have to go!" Virgo pleaded, her voice laced with urgency. "We have a gift for you, and we wanted to give it to you."

Hina, her brow furrowed, shook her head. "Virgo, you know time in the Spirit World and the Human World are different. I don't want to miss anything here."

Virgo, her voice laced with desperation, pleaded, "But Hina, Capricorn, Taurus, Gemini and I, we all begged the Spirit King for so long to let you come here! We spent so much time planning this, and we really want you to see it."

Hina, her resolve unwavering, replied simply, "No."

"Hina, we spent so much time preparing this gift for you. It's a special way to say goodbye, since Lucy is back, and our contract with you will be over."

Hina, her heart softening, finally relented. "Alright, Virgo, but I have two conditions. First, I'm only staying for two hours. Second, I need to make up an excuse to leave."

Virgo, a glimmer of hope returning to her eyes, smiled. "Don't worry about that, Hina. Capricorn already took care of it. He asked Principal Nezu for permission, and he agreed to let you go."

Hina, surprised by Virgo's revelation, blinked. "He did? But how?"

Virgo, her smile widening, winked. "Let's just say, Capricorn has his ways."

With that, Hina, though still hesitant, agreed to the trip, her heart warm with the thought.

Laterrr

Hina squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the transition. A warm, tingling sensation enveloped her as Virgo's magic pulsed around her. When she finally opened her eyes, the world before her was a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors and otherworldly beauty.

A magical realm where towering trees shimmer with iridescent hues, waterfalls cascade down rocky cliffs, and exotic creatures roam freely. It's a place where the impossible becomes possible, a realm of wonder and beauty, but also mystery and danger.

But it wasn't the breathtaking scenery that truly stole her breath away. It was the people who stood before her.

Hina's heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of nervousness, happiness and apprehension swirling within her.