The Wraith Within (On Hold Indefinitely)

The day of the UA Entrance Exam had finally arrived. Izumi stood among a sea of hopeful students, all anxiously awaiting the start of the exam. The crowd around her buzzed with excitement and nerves, their chatter blending into a cacophony of voices.

Izumi felt strangely calm. Her towering 9’11 frame was draped in the standard exam uniform, the loose-fitting clothes designed to allow for freedom of movement. Her sharp, glowing purple eyes surveyed the area as she mentally prepared herself. She was ready. After months of rigorous training, all she needed to do was execute her plan.

Her mind flashed back to the hours spent practicing her speed and stealth, refining every aspect of her mutation. She wasn’t like the others who relied on sheer strength or flashy quirks. No, her power lay in her agility, her cunning, and the overwhelming force she could unleash when necessary. Her abilities would set her apart from the other students.

“Alright, everyone! Listen up!” A booming voice echoed through the speakers, drawing her out of her thoughts. The figure on the screen was none other than President Mic, his usual exuberant energy radiating from every word.

Izumi didn’t need to listen to the full explanation—she had already prepared for the physical portion. A series of tests involving various mock battles with robots designed to simulate the kind of battles a pro hero might face. There would be no traditional written exam for this portion; it was all about performance.

Izumi’s eyes flickered to the other students as they lined up, some excited, others visibly anxious. She couldn’t blame them. She’d seen her fair share of hopefuls—some who would burn brightly, others who’d be snuffed out in the end. But she was different.

The first portion of the exam—combat against the robots—began. Izumi watched the other students rush forward, launching themselves at the robots with varying levels of flair and bravado. She could see the strategy behind each movement, the choices that determined how quickly the students would be defeated or succeed. Some were too aggressive, charging in without thinking, while others were overly cautious. Izumi, however, had a plan.

Her first move was to remain still, blending into the crowd, her towering form almost ghostly in the throng of students. As the robots began their assault, Izumi crouched low, her tentacle-like legs giving her a natural advantage in stealth. Her Phantom ability would be key here—her decoy would confuse the robots, drawing their attention elsewhere while she picked them off one by one.

She warped behind a group of students, disappearing in a blur of motion, her translucent skin blending in with the surroundings. Her decoy shimmered in her place, and within moments, the robots focused their attention on the seemingly vulnerable clone.

Meanwhile, Izumi was already taking action. She warped in front of a nearby 4-pointer robot, her scythe-like arms slicing through the air with terrifying precision. In one swift motion, she cleaved the robot in half, its mechanical body falling apart into a heap of twisted metal. The sound of the destruction was drowned out by the other students’ attacks, but to Izumi, it was the perfect distraction.

In a flash, she warped behind another robot, launching herself into the air with the speed of a striking serpent. Warp Blast. The blast of energy surged from her body, blasting the robot to pieces before it even had a chance to react.

All around her, students were still scrambling. But Izumi moved like a ghost, vanishing into thin air, reappearing where the robots least expected her. Her decoy acted as a perfect decoy, buying her time to position herself just out of view. Every time a robot locked onto her phantom, she was already on the move again.

The Supernova ability was a last resort, but when she finally activated it in the midst of a crowded field of robots, it was nothing short of devastating. The concentrated burst of energy left her temporarily drained, but the destruction was worth it. The robots within a certain radius were thrown back by the explosion, leaving them open for a follow-up strike.

Teacher’s Observation Room:

Inside the observation room, the UA staff was watching intently, monitoring every candidate’s movements as they battled the robots.

Present Mic, as enthusiastic as ever, was practically bouncing in his seat. “Whoa! That girl! Did you see that move? She’s got some insane speed!”

Shota Aizawa, his eyes narrowing as he watched the screen, seemed to take particular interest in Izumi’s performance. His usual stoic expression didn’t waver, but the slight tilt of his head betrayed his curiosity. “Her precision is remarkable. No wasted energy. She’s methodical… and dangerously fast.”

Recovery Girl, sitting beside him, adjusted her glasses and hummed in agreement. “She’s efficient. She knows when to fight and when to hide. Most of these students are too eager, but she’s showing restraint, which is rare at this age. I’m impressed.”

All Might, ever the positive force, couldn’t hide his grin. “She’s got the heart of a hero, you can see it in her movements. She’s got the spirit, but I’m curious to see how she handles the real challenge when the robots are no longer the focus.”

Back on the field, Izumi was still in full motion, her glowing purple eyes scanning the battlefield as her decoy danced around with a few remaining robots in pursuit. The 3-pointer robots had scattered in confusion, following the wrong target. But that was exactly what she wanted.

With a flick of her wrist, she slashed through a 3-pointer, its metal parts crumpling to the ground. Her heart rate was steady, her movements precise. Every strike was calculated, every warp was a perfect response to the chaos surrounding her.

Her speed was her greatest asset. She warped in and out of view, making it impossible for the robots to target her. Her agility was unmatched, and the way she used her long limbs to her advantage only heightened her ability to strike and retreat without being touched.

As the final set of 0-pointer robots entered the fray, the situation became more intense. These were the most formidable of the machines, and they came in full force. Students around Izumi were starting to panic, some already on the defensive as the behemoth-like robots bore down on them.

But Izumi remained calm. She knew exactly how to handle them. With a deep breath, she focused her energy and took the risk. She activated Supernova—and just as before, the world around her exploded in a burst of raw power.

The 0-pointer robots were thrown back by the blast, but Izumi wasted no time. She warped toward the nearest one, her scythe-like arms outstretched. In one fluid motion, she sliced off one of its massive limbs, then spun around to decapitate it entirely.

The others were in disarray, giving her the perfect opportunity to finish the job. One by one, she took down each of the 0-pointers, her movements as fluid and efficient as a predator on the hunt.

Teacher’s Observation Room:

Aizawa’s eyes narrowed, his sharp mind processing everything he was seeing. “She’s… completely different from the others. She’s not just strong, she’s strategic. She’s unpredictable and uses the environment to her advantage.”

Present Mic was still cheering, practically bouncing out of his seat. “Holy smokes! Did you see her take down that 0-pointer? That was amazing!”

All Might, still smiling, nodded in agreement. “She’s got talent. And a quiet strength that’s rare to find. She’s more than just brute force.”

Izumi’s performance didn’t go unnoticed. Even the other students on the field began to take notice of the quiet girl with glowing purple eyes, towering over them yet never once showing arrogance. She wasn’t flashy—she wasn’t brash—but she was effective. And that, the teachers knew, was the hallmark of a true hero.

By the end of the physical portion of the exam, Izumi had completely dominated. She stood tall among the wreckage of the robots, her breathing steady despite the intense effort she had just put forth. Her glowing eyes scanned the field, and for the first time in a long while, she felt something that was almost foreign to her: pride.

She hadn’t just participated. She had conquered.

And as the exam ended and the students were ushered off the field, Izumi knew she had done more than just survive the test—she had marked herself as a force to be reckoned with.

It wasn’t just about strength. It was about strategy, speed, and the quiet confidence that came from knowing you could rise to any challenge.

Izumi Midoriya was ready to become a hero.