The Lynx's Shadow: A My Hero Academia Story

Y/N's breath was still heavy as she adjusted her stance, scanning the area carefully. The strange girl-the one she had just fought-was gone. Disappeared like a shadow in the chaos of battle.

Something about that entire encounter felt off. The way the girl had moved, the way she had spoken-it wasn't just a normal fight.

"But I don't have time to think about that right now," Y/N reminded herself.

She had secured enough points. The only thing left to do was reach the exit.

Her feline ears twitched as she tuned into the surrounding sounds of battle. Explosions, cries of determination, the clash of Quirks- the exam was still in full force, with students desperately trying to secure their spots before time ran out.

She pushed forward, her body moving on instinct as she teleported past debris, dodging stray attacks that weren't even meant for her.

"Almost there."

Then-a sudden shift in the air.

Y/N barely had time to react before a powerful gust of wind sent her skidding backward.

She dug her claws into the ground, stopping herself from being completely thrown off balance.

"What the hell-"

As the dust cleared, she saw a familiar figure standing in her way.

Inasa Yoarashi.

The powerful wind-user from Shiketsu Academy stood with his arms crossed, his intense energy radiating through the air. His wide grin didn't quite match the sharp glint in his eyes.

"I was wondering when I'd run into another strong competitor!" he announced, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

Y/N narrowed her eyes. "I don't have time for this."

Inasa let out a booming laugh. "Neither do I! But I can't just let a challenge like you walk away!"

With that, another massive burst of wind shot toward her.

Y/N barely managed to teleport away in time, appearing on a nearby platform.

"Damn it. I knew something was off about him."

She had warned Todoroki earlier that something felt strange about Inasa's hostility. Now, she was seeing it firsthand.

Y/N's sharp gaze flickered toward the exit-it was still within reach. But Inasa wasn't going to let her go that easily.

"If I fight him, I waste time. If I run, he'll chase me."

She gritted her teeth. Fine. If he wanted a fight, she'd give him one.

Inasa wasted no time, propelling himself forward with a sudden burst of wind. He was fast-faster than Y/N expected.

She barely managed to dodge as he swung his arm, sending a concentrated tornado-like force toward her.

She teleported above him, attempting to land a strike, but the wind caught her midair, throwing off her trajectory.

"His Quirk makes aerial combat nearly impossible," she realized.

Landing smoothly, she adjusted her strategy. If she couldn't rely on her agility in the air, then she'd have to use her speed and precision on the ground.

Inasa launched another attack, but this time-she was ready.

Using her shadow tendrils, she anchored herself to the ground, preventing him from blowing her away. Then, with a burst of speed, she closed the gap between them.

Inasa's eyes widened in surprise.

Too late.

She landed a powerful kick to his ribs, sending him stumbling backward.

He let out a breathless laugh. "That's more like it!"

But instead of retaliating immediately, he took a step back, eyes studying her with an almost calculating gaze.

"You're strong," he admitted. "But you hesitate."

Y/N tensed. "What?"

"You hold back," he continued. "Even now, you're fighting me, but your mind is somewhere else, isn't it?"

She clenched her fists.

"Damn it. He's not wrong."

Her thoughts were still stuck on that girl from earlier.

The unsettling feeling she left behind... it still lingered.

Inasa's expression shifted slightly, the playful energy dimming just a little. "You're distracted," he observed. "But even so... you're still this strong."

Then, suddenly-he stepped aside.

Y/N blinked. "What are you-?"

"You already won this fight," he said simply, motioning toward the exit. "I just wanted to see for myself what kind of fighter you are."

She hesitated, searching his face for any sign of deception. But there was none.

Finally, she exhaled. "You're insane."

Inasa grinned. "I get that a lot."

Not wasting another second, Y/N turned and sprinted toward the exit.

She broke through the final barrier, her body finally relaxing as she made it past the threshold.

The moment she crossed the finish line, the tension drained from her shoulders.

She had passed.

Her breath was still heavy, her body aching from the exertion. But she had done it.

Looking around, she spotted several familiar faces-Midoriya, Todoroki, Bakugo, Iida, Uraraka.

Some were still catching their breath, others were talking in low voices.

Bakugo, who was a few feet away, glanced at her before scoffing. "Took you long enough, cat-girl."

Y/N rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Boom Boy."

Midoriya, ever the optimist, gave her a relieved smile. "That was amazing, Y/N!"

She let out a tired chuckle. "Could've been easier."

But before anyone could say more, a familiar gravelly voice interrupted.

"Good. You're alive."

Y/N turned to see Aizawa standing nearby, his gaze scanning her for injuries.

She stiffened slightly but didn't move away this time.

"You pushed yourself too hard," he noted.

She sighed. "I'm fine."

His eyes narrowed. "No. You're not."

She was about to argue, but the exhaustion in her limbs made it clear-he was right.

After a moment, she exhaled. "I'll rest."

Aizawa studied her for a second longer before nodding. "Good."

Then, lowering his voice slightly, he added, "You did well."

Her breath hitched just a little. Praise from Aizawa wasn't something she heard often.

"...Thanks," she muttered, looking away.

Aizawa simply nodded before stepping back.

As Y/N finally allowed herself to sit down, she felt the weight of everything settle on her shoulders.

"It's over," she thought. "For now."

But something in the back of her mind still whispered-

"That girl... something was off about her."

She didn't know who it was. But something told her-this wasn't the last time they would meet.