Heroes Gamble: A BNHA Story

Chapter Five: Test Start!

Five minutes remained before the start of the practical exam, and the energy in Battle Center G was electric with anticipation. Hayato stood among the crowd of prospective students, his face calm but his mind anything but. He was watching, analyzing, picking out strengths and weaknesses—a skill honed by years of living on edge, where failing to spot a threat could mean the difference between life and death.

As he scanned the crowd, certain individuals stood out. A dark-haired student with a bird-like head caught his eye. His aura was distinct, a strange, intense energy radiating from him even as he stood silently, seemingly withdrawn. Hayato could sense something fierce beneath the surface—he would be a formidable opponent.

Then there was a black-haired boy. His posture and demeanour were screaming that he was a nervous lamb, scared about the test coming up, but his eyes. His red eyes held a fire beneath them, a drive to be better, to excel at something. His physical build suggested that he would be powerful in close-quarter combat, which may be held back by his nerves though, but there was also something inherently... trustworthy about him. Despite the aura of him suggesting otherwise it felt as though you could rely on him to have your back. A trait Hayato found rare in most people.

Near the timid boy, a boy with jagged, hook-like features on his face stood alone. His body language was relaxed and casual, but Hayato could tell by the way he kept flexing his fingers that he was more than ready to fight. He would be ruthless, Hayato guessed, a characteristic he recognized from the cutthroat environment of his past.

Further down, another boy drew his attention, not for any obvious show of strength, but for his calculated gaze as he scanned the crowd. The blonde boy's smirk hinted at overconfidence, which could mean one of two things: either he was far weaker than he seemed, or he was a strategist, a manipulator. Hayato made a mental note to keep an eye on him, especially when their eyes met and his smirk somehow grew even more.

Finally, a girl caught his attention. Unlike the others, she moved with a sly, easy grace. Her eyes were sharp, and her stance relaxed. She seemed self-assured, the kind of confidence that came from knowing exactly what she was capable of. She had a strong presence, and Hayato had no doubt she'd be a major player in the upcoming trial. He always liked working with people like her, those who knew what they could do and what they could not. It made jobs all the easier because of it. (Guess who she is without looking ahead. Her Quirk will give it away lol)

Just as he was turning his focus back to himself, Hayato felt a prickling sensation at the back of his neck. He glanced around and found a boy looking right at him. Their eyes met—steady and appraising. This boy was different. His posture, his quiet intensity. It was as if he were waiting, expecting something, though, from Hayato or the test, he couldn't tell.

The boy made his way over, unhurried, his purple hair catching faint glints of light under the cloudy sky. He came to a stop in front of Hayato, studying him for a brief moment before speaking.

"What's your quirk?" the boy asked, his tone direct.

Hayato hesitated, but something about this boy's gaze felt... genuine. There was no judgment or arrogance in his expression. It was just a question. With a slight nod, Hayato responded.

"Cyclone," he said. "I can manipulate air and, to some extent, different gases like oxygen or nitrogen that are present in the air."

The other boy's eyebrow arched, not at the quirk itself, but at the hesitation in Hayato's voice.

"Interesting," he said. "I'm Hitoshi Shinso. My quirk's... well, it's not suited for something like this." His tone was resigned as if he was expecting a dismissive response. "It won't have any practical use against machines. My quirk has something to do with the mind."