Wings of Awakening

Part 10

The exam was nearing its end, and robots were becoming scarce as examinees had either destroyed or evaded most of them. Izuku took a quick scan of the mock city below, his sharp eyes searching for any remaining targets. Just as he was about to dive toward another point-scoring opportunity, the ground began to shake violently, and the sound of crumbling metal and concrete filled the air.

The city itself seemed to be trembling.

Izuku's gaze snapped upward, and his heart skipped a beat. A humongous robot loomed over the buildings, casting a massive shadow over the city streets. The Zero Pointer—a towering metal giant that dwarfed every structure around it.

"Where was that thing hiding?" he muttered, eyes wide in awe and fear.

Around him, examinees began to scream, their instincts kicking in as they scattered, sprinting in the opposite direction. Panic rippled through the students as they scrambled to escape. Izuku felt the urge to join them, his instincts telling him to fly straight for the entrance gates and away from the monstrous machine.

But just as he began to turn, he heard a faint voice rise above the din, breaking through the chaos.

"Help! Somebody, please help!"

Izuku's head whipped around, his eyes searching frantically.

Izuku's eyes locked onto a girl with short brown hair pinned under rubble, fear plain on her face as the colossal Zero Pointer loomed closer. She was clearly trapped, her legs pinned beneath the heavy chunks of debris, and with each step of the massive robot, the ground quaked. Izuku glanced around, heart pounding, but the other examinees were too busy fleeing, none noticing the girl's distress.

"Two minutes remaining!" Present Mic's voice blared, echoing throughout the city. The countdown was ticking.

Izuku's muscles were burning from the strain of the exam, and fatigue was setting in. He was low on stamina, his wings aching from all the flying and his telekinesis nearly drained from continuous use. But seeing the robot's gigantic foot looming closer and the girl's desperate look steeled his resolve. He couldn't leave her to face this alone.

Taking a deep breath, he dove toward her. He focused, stretching out his hand as he used his telekinesis to shift the rubble off her legs, lifting each piece away carefully despite the trembling ground and advancing threat of the Zero Pointer. The girl winced, but Izuku freed her legs just as the monstrous machine took another thunderous step, now only a foot away from them.

"Come on! Get up, we have to move!" Izuku urged, but his mind raced with worry; even if he managed to get her airborne, the Zero Pointer could easily swipe them down mid-flight, or worse, hurt others still nearby.

Determination hardened his gaze. Izuku released her and, gathering every ounce of strength he had, rocketed toward the enormous machine, his wings beating powerfully as he closed the distance. He extended his arms and unleashed a massive push with his telekinesis, feeling the strain of moving something so colossal. His muscles trembled, and a splitting headache pulsed as he forced the massive robot backward, shoving it just far enough away from the other students and the girl he had saved.

He landed back beside her, retracting his wings to save his strength. His chest heaved, utterly exhausted, but as he glanced back at her, a sense of relief washed over him.

And then, Present Mic's announcement rang out.

"Time's up! The practical exam is officially over!"

Izuku slumped down, his adrenaline fading, grateful he'd managed to protect her—and that the ordeal had finally ended.