Maki was slowly striding forward, but what he didn't realize was that his mere presence—and the aura surrounding him—radiated danger.
Even the guard earlier had felt it, which explained his surprise.
Now, as Maki walked and stood just beyond the crowd, many people stole glances at him. His black attire, hoodie covering his eyes, and massive figure made him seem like a menace. He wasn't towering over everyone, but there was something about him that told them: this fellow was dangerous.
Some who had an inkling of what they were feeling analyzed him carefully, trying to gauge the threat.
Maki, however, wasn't staring at anyone. His gaze was fixed downward, watching his Crocs being invaded by fine white sand. To everyone else, he appeared completely uninterested—almost bored—by the exam.
Many stared, dumbfounded by his casual demeanor. One man, in particular, was infuriated by Maki's attitude. Ever since Maki had stepped out of the car, he had been acting unprofessional, unbothered, and like an uneducated delinquent. Slowly, the man began walking toward him, intending to confront him about his misconduct.
Maki, still looking down at his Crocs, noticed a shadow approaching. He slowly raised his head and saw a kid in a blue tracksuit, with blue hair and glasses. Maki immediately noticed the kid's well-developed legs and realized that there were engines—or some kind of mechanical augmentation—connected to them.
As the kid approached, he raised his voice.
"YOU! YOU'RE LOOKING LIKE A DELINQUENT! ACTING LIKE SOME UNPROFESSIONAL STUDENT! WE'RE HERE AT U.A., ONE OF THE TOP ACADEMIES IN THIS WORLD, AND YOU'RE ACTING LIKE THAT! IF YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THIS EXAM, THEN PLEASE LEAVE!"
Many people watched the man angrily confronting someone who had just been standing there, minding his own business.
Maki didn't speak. He simply stood, his face fixed on the man.
Then came a low, vibrating sound—
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
BOOOOOOOKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A powerful pressure descended on everyone, pressing them down with unimaginable force. Some stumbled and fell into the white sand. The ground cracked under the weight; trees and bushes shattered, and chunks of hard sandstone levitated and disintegrated.
Everyone gritted their teeth, trying to lift their heads against the invisible force. Their eyes were wide with shock, legs trembling from the sheer pressure.
The glasses-wearing man, standing directly before Maki, felt it the most. The pressure forced him to one knee, his hands pressed against the ground to avoid collapsing. He was sweating profusely, as if he had just washed his face, and his glasses had long since shattered.
The pressure continued to intensify by the second, bearing down on everyone present, even on those who had just arrived.
Then, a gentle, soft-spoken, polite voice rang out:
"Oh, please control yourself. The exam is about to start."
Maki looked toward the stairs near the H-building and saw a woman. She wore a long white coat over a black kimono. Her eyes were closed, and her hair was styled in a large braid draped over her chest. A sword rested at her waist.
Maki's deep voice echoed across the area.
"YOU REEK OF BLOOD."
The woman didn't immediately react. She slowly opened her left eye, a piercing blue gaze meeting Maki's. They stared at each other for a long moment, while the pressure gradually faded. Everyone gasped for air, relieved.
The glasses-wearing man collapsed to the ground, still catching his breath. Others had already composed themselves but kept glancing warily at Maki.
Suddenly, a loud, boisterous voice shattered the tension:
"HEEEEEEEREEY! WHY ARE YOU ALL DOWN? COMEEEEE ON, CHEER UP! WE'RE STARTING THE FUUUUUN!"
The source was Present Mic, emerging from the H-building, his energy as explosive as ever.
"YOOOOOOOW! WHAAAATSUUUUP, EVERYBOOOOODY!"
The woman closed her eyes again, took a deep breath, and smiled at the crowd. With her polite demeanor, she spoke:
"Good morning to everyone who came here to take the exam. Although some events have just occurred, the exam will continue in about one hour."
Then, another woman stepped forward from the U.A. building. She began to speak, explaining the next steps:
"You will be grouped into ten different teams. Each of you will follow an instructor, who will be assigned a color that we will give you later."
This new instructor was striking. Tall and slender, she had long curly black hair, red lipstick, and a distinct mole on the right side of her face, just below her mouth. On her left thigh, a prominent black spider tattoo peeked out from under her clothing. She wore a white long coat draped over her shoulders, the cuffs decorated with a pink rabbit design.
Beneath her coat, she wore a short-sleeved pink shirt with a frilled collar and an open neckline, paired with dark brown shorts and black high heels.
All eyes immediately turned to her. People stared at her long white legs and her signature tattoo. They knew exactly who she was: the Pink Rabbit, Momosagi—real name, Gion.
The crowd's gazes were a mix of admiration, hunger, greed, lust, and a multitude of other emotions.
But Maki's focus was elsewhere. He studied the two women carefully. He didn't know who either of them were yet, but something about the braided woman caught his attention. There was a faint, underlying scent of bloodlust behind her smile—a predatory aura.