"Shina… Etsuha?"
The moment that name was announced, everyone froze—then turned toward Etsuha in shock.
The entire crowd erupted.
"What's going on?! Shina Etsuha is the final boss?"
"Is this a joke? He's the same age as us!"
"What kind of setup is this?!"
Tenya Iida, who had been deep in thought about Etsuha's intentions, snapped back to reality.
Shina Etsuha?
If he remembered correctly… that boy was Shina Etsuha!
"Ah… so it's my turn already."
Etsuha lifted his head lazily. In the next instant, a massive pillar of ice surged upward from beneath his feet, carrying him hundreds of meters into the air. He casually pulled a microphone from his pocket, cleared his throat, and spoke:
"If any of you want to challenge me, head to Area B. I'll give you ten minutes to prepare."
So it really was him.
Seeing Etsuha standing high above them, Iida felt his worldview shatter.
This guy… is the final boss?!
And that ice—just witnessing the sheer scale of it made his scalp tingle. He had never imagined that such overwhelming power could exist within someone their age. Compared to this, his earlier confrontation with Etsuha suddenly felt ridiculous.
No wonder Etsuha hadn't taken the exam seriously.
It wasn't that he didn't care.
It was because he was the final boss.
"Are we really supposed to challenge him?" Yuga Aoyama stared blankly at the towering figure.
"Why wouldn't we? This is a huge opportunity!"
"Yeah! I thought the boss would be some kind of monster, but it's just a student like us! Sure, he's strong—but we've got numbers on our side!"
Meanwhile, Midoriya Izuku lay on the ground, staring up at the sky. His eyes were filled with awe.
"Etsuha… he's already at this level… That's incredible…"
"Are you okay?!" Ochaco Uraraka asked anxiously.
"I'm fine—ahh! It hurts!"
Midoriya's right arm was visibly twisted and swollen, clearly fractured. His legs were no better—though hidden beneath his clothes, the damage was obvious.
At that moment, a small elderly woman approached and, in a rather comical fashion, planted a kiss on him. Within moments, his injuries were healed.
"Any other injured students?" Recovery Girl called out. "If you don't plan to challenge Etsuha, you may withdraw now."
"I want to challenge!" Midoriya declared, clenching his fist.
"Anyone who has received treatment is considered to have forfeited," Recovery Girl added calmly.
Midoriya froze.
…
Elsewhere…
When Katsuki Bakugo first heard about the final boss, his instinct was to crush whoever it was. But the moment he heard the name "Shina Etsuha," his expression darkened.
"What the hell?! How did Shina become the boss?! Damn it! Area B, huh? I'll deal with you later!"
Not far away, Shoto Todoroki also paused in surprise before a spark of excitement appeared in his eyes.
"I haven't seen him in a year… Has he really grown this much? In that case, I can't waste this chance."
He had spent countless days training his ice abilities, believing he had finally caught up to Etsuha.
But now… Etsuha had already become the final boss.
That realization stung.
Across the other exam zones, similar reactions unfolded. Many candidates, dissatisfied with their scores, were tempted to head to Area B to challenge Etsuha.
Unfortunately, some had already been injured during the robot battle and were disqualified from participating further.
Others had exhausted their stamina chasing points but still chose to gamble, hoping to benefit from the chaos.
Still, the majority chose to withdraw.
The reasoning was simple—the reward for defeating the boss didn't outweigh the risks. For most, it was safer to walk away with their current score.
A few minutes later, only a few dozen candidates remained in Area B.
And even among them, many didn't care whether they won or lost.
…
U.A Monitoring Room
The teachers watched the scene unfold on the screens, sighing.
Present Mic muttered, "Only about fifty participants? That's fewer than expected. I thought after seeing the Zero-Point Robot, they'd understand the significance of this boss battle."
Principal Nezu smiled faintly. "This was anticipated. True heroes are always few in number—but they shine the brightest."
Aizawa Shouta crossed his arms. "I wonder if they'll regret it once they hear the hidden rule."
Midnight smirked. "I'm more curious whether this group can even defeat that boy."
All Might hesitated. "They… might be able to…"
In truth, even he wasn't confident. Against absolute strength, numbers meant very little.
And there was no doubt—
Etsuha was a true powerhouse.
At Nezu's signal, Present Mic activated the microphone once more.
"It seems not many of you chose to challenge the boss. What a shame! Now, let me announce an important rule!"
His voice rang out across the field:
"All candidates who participate in the boss challenge—if they fail, one-third of their points will be deducted!"
The expressions of every challenger changed instantly.
They would lose points if they failed?!
Was U.A completely insane?!