"Are we sure we want to go with this pair?" All Might asked, sweat gathering at his brow as he looked at the other teachers gathered in the room.

"Yeah, isn't that a little harsh? They clearly don't get along, this will likely only lead to more conflict." Midnight hummed eyes boring into Aizawa's as she spoke.

"Are you sure about this Shouta? You know how Mineta behaves towards people like us." Yamada had seen the fear in the boy's eyes every time he entered the classroom. The hatred in his gaze every time Kirito so much as breathed in his direction. "Izuku isn't going to appreciate this either."

"That's exactly why I put them together. I'm giving Mineta one last chance to shape up. If his prejudice remains as it is, then I don't see how he can keep his place in this school." Aizawa explained solemnly, looking to the principal for support.

"I agrees with Aizawa-san on this, Mineta-kun's future will likely be decided depending on his behavior in this exam. Trusting your comrades and in this case, your classmates, is essential in this line of work. He will need to learn to overcome his bigotry, as there is no place for discrimination here at UA." They all nodded at that, knowing the reality in those words.

"And do we all agree on the teacher selection?" Eraserhead continued, eyeing the file in front of him. This fight will at least be interesting, he supposed. At the affirmative nods he got, he switched to the next student. "Now for Todoroki's-"

The rest of their evening went by in a similar fashion, as they prepared for this year's final exams.

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The class buzzed with anticipation, the air thick with the weight of impending trials as they stood in front of ground beta. Izuku stood, his gaze fixed on the grey concreate floor, lost in a world of swirling thoughts. The prospect of the final exam loomed like a mountain, daunting yet surmountable.

Aizawa's monotone voice sliced through the tension, drawing Izuku's attention to the front of the group. Eraserhead stood, his eyes half-lidded but sharp, a testament to his unwavering vigilance. Beside him were the other UA instructors, their presence adding gravity to the occasion. This was going to be fun, he hoped.

"The final exam will be a test of teamwork and strategy," Aizawa began, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. "You'll be paired up for 2-on-1 battles against the teachers. Your goal is to incapacitate us or escape through the gate."

Izuku's heart skipped a beat as the realization sank in. Aizawa began listing the teams and their opponents one by one. His eyes widened in disbelief when Aizawa finally got to him, "Midoriya, you'll be paired with Mineta against Snipe."

A hush fell over the room, broken only by Mineta's audible gasp. Everyone was well aware of Mineta's hatred towards him and others like him. He glanced to the right, catching a glimpse of shock etched upon the boy's features, quickly morphing into something darker.

The boy's eyes narrowed, his lips contorted into a scowl. The disdain in his gaze was palpable, a venomous mixture of contempt and fear directed squarely at Izuku. His voice trembled with an undercurrent of rage. "Him? Why do I have to team up with a freak like him?"

Izuku's chest tightened at the hostility, the weight of Mineta's words hitting him like a physical blow. He could feel the weight of prejudice and unfounded accusations in Mineta's gaze, a judgment based solely on his status as an SAO survivor.

Aizawa's stern gaze flickered between the two, but his expression remained impassive. "This is the pairing for the exam. Deal with it and focus on strategizing. You both have the potential to complement each other." He could feel the heat directed at Mineta in the man's stare, clearly wanting to say more but refraining himself for some reason. He could feel Yashi stiffening from his place a little further away.

The tension hung thick in the air as the instructions sank in. Izuku felt a mix of determination and unease, grappling with the reality of teaming up with someone who harbored such deep-seated animosity towards him.

As they filed out towards the awaiting busses, ones that would take them towards their designated training areas, Izuku caught Mineta's glare, burning with resentment and suspicion. The weight of being perceived as a villain, simply for surviving a virtual ordeal, pressed heavily on Izuku's shoulders.

He tightened his grip on his swords, his resolve firm despite the turbulent emotions swirling within. The starting bell chimed, signaling the commencement of the final exam, and the tension crackled, setting the stage for the impending clash.

______________________________

The training ground stood silent, bathed in a soft, ambient glow from the dim lights overhead. Izuku Midoriya and Mineta stood side by side, their silhouettes cast against the backdrop of anticipation and nerves.

Mineta's unease was palpable, his eyes darting around nervously as he stole glances at his surroundings, as if Snipe would pop out of the concreate like some wind-up toy.

Squinting, Izuku could already vaguely see him, standing at a distance, a stoic figure with unwavering focus. His grip tightened on his swords almost instinctively, the dark metal of his Elucidator shown brightly against the sun, urging a mix of determination to run through him, resolve etched on his face as he sized up their opponent.

As the signal to begin echoed through the air, Mineta's demeanor shifted drastically. Without warning, he yelled out in feigned terror, pointing frantically at the incoming threat. Izuku, caught off guard, turned to look at the teacher once more, somewhat expecting him to have moved, from Minet'as overzealous reaction. It was a split-second distraction, but it was enough.

In that moment of diversion, Mineta seized his chance. With a swift hand gesture, his quirk activated, and sticky spheres shot forth, ensnaring Izuku in a web of adhesive material. Izuku struggled against the sudden restraint, his movements restricted as if bound by invisible chains. Both his feet were tightly glued to the ground, his hand, the one holding his sword was stuck snugly to his side, his skin pulling painfully against the sticky spheres.

His heart raced, and adrenaline and shock surging through him, realizing he was a sitting target. Was Mineta that lost in his hatred, that he was sabotaging their own chances at winning?

Wide eyes glared the shorter boy, killing intent rising as he burned holes into the brat's form. "What the hell are you doing?" He hissed, aware of the guns rising to be aimed their way. "Are you crazy?"

"S-shut up, freak, why couldn't I have been paired with Momo or Tsuyu instead! I'm not going to stay here and play buddies with a murderer." The boy screamed in a whiny voice, "Feel free to stick around, I'm out of here!" He shouted before making a run for it in the opposite direction. Towards the exit gates, Izuku realized with cold fury.

Bullets suddenly zipped through the air, Snipe's precision aiming to incapacitate. With no room to maneuver, Kirito hissed as one of them grazed his arm. Ignoring the pain, he didn't bother struggling against the spheres, knowing that it would be futile, this soon after having been attached. Instead. Using his free arm, he reached for the sword still sheathed on his back. Thankful that he hadn't decided to go without it today as he pulled it out just in time to refract an incoming shot.

Desperation fueled his actions as he swung his blade with lightning speed, deflecting the onslaught of bullets. Each clang of metal against metal reverberated through the air, a symphony of conflict amid the tense silence. But for every bullet deflected, more followed, testing Izuku's resolve and skill to their limits.

His muscles strained with the effort, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he fought against the sticky restraints that held him in place. The bullets closed in, and with every passing second, Snipe advanced, closing the distance.

Looking back for a second, he could see Mineta's retreating figure was still in full view. The idiot hadn't even tried to seek refuge in the alleys around them.

Twisting his foot, he yanked until it slipped out of his boot, dislodging itself violently, almost sending him toppling to the floor, if not for the balance he'd honed over the years.

His other boot was buckled tightly though, making it harder to budge as another wave of bullets were shot his way. Struggling harder against the confinement, Izuku's determination surged. With a resounding cry, he channeled all his strength, a surge of energy flowing through him as he willed his way through Mineta's quirk. The sticky hold weakened, threads of the adhesive giving way as Izuku pushed himself and finally, with a slash of his sword, the sphere dislodged itself from the boot. Feet now free of their restraint he wasted no time jumping out of the way of the incoming projectile. Tumbling a few feet away in a set of rolls and twisting until he was back on his feet.

The Ball sticking his arm to his side was a different story, however. As there was no barrier protecting his skin indirectly, and that meant that Izuku had to pull at his own flesh to get away.

Bracing himself, knowing that he wouldn't be able to give it his all with one arm down for the count, he pulled at the sphere with all his strength. A snarl escaped his lips as his skin was torn in the process of dislodging the offending object. Blood gathering over the raw flesh as he hissed under his breath. He was going to make that grape brat pay.

He staggered backward, his breaths labored, muscles protesting from the intense strain. But there was no time to recover. Snipe had closed in, and the battlefield was now eerily quiet, save for the thud of Mineta hitting the ground, incapacitated by a well-placed shot from Snipe. Dark satisfaction surged within him as he looked at the pathetic lump he formed in his fall.

The fight had turned into a solitary battle and somehow that little realization only made excitement surge in his veins. A shadowy smirk stretching his features into an eerie expression. Steeling himself and squaring his shoulders, he leveled his gaze with his opponent. Against the odds, he raised his swords, ready to face Snipe alone, he always had been a Solo player, after all.

The air crackled with tension as he stood, a lone figure amidst the expanse of the training ground, framed by the buildings witnessing their fight. His swords gleamed with an ethereal sheen in the soft light. Across from him, Snipe remained steadfast, pistols glinting with a daunting air of precision.

From the onset, the battlefield favored Snipe. His pistols were extensions of his unwavering accuracy, each shot a testament to his mastery. Bullets sliced through the air like whispers, a relentless barrage aimed at keeping him at bay. But Kirito moved, not with the erraticism of panic, but with the fluidity of a seasoned warrior.

His footsteps were purposeful, a dance between evasive maneuvers and calculated steps. Each dodge was a brushstroke of finesse, a symphony of movement as he weaved through the storm of projectiles. The distance between them, initially a hindrance, became Kirito's canvas, a space he transformed into a battlefield of strategy.

With every bullet avoided, Kirito closed in, a predator stalking its prey. His swords became an extension of his will, arcs of steel cutting through the air in a mesmerizing display. But Snipe was relentless, his aim unyielding, creating a lethal maze of projectiles. He could almost see it, in his mind's eye, the trajectory of each bullet, whizzing in the air until they reached their target. Like lines of red thread, connecting him to each and every round of bullets, he could imagine with perfect clarity.

Yet Izuku persisted, each step closer fueled by determination and resilience. His focus narrowed, blocking out the distractions, honing in on the singular goal—closing the distance.

Snipe was aiming at his arms, his legs, any nonlethal point, really. And that was his first mistake, Kirito thought with no little amount of smugness. A fight that wasn't to the death was not a fight he could ever lose.

The clash was a spectacle of contrasts. Bullets whispered past, inches from their mark, while Kirito's swords carved arcs of defiance, each swing a testament to his resolve. Dust billowed around them, a rally of the chaos that marred their dance.

And then, in a moment of breathtaking audacity, Kirito found himself within arm's reach of Snipe. His swords poised threateningly, stopping inches away from his pulsing neck, the steel glinting menacingly against the backdrop of tension.

Time seemed to hang suspended, a silent stalemate. The pistols in Snipe's hands froze as the man visibly gulped, their deadly intent halted by the proximity of Kirito's swords. The air crackled with the weight of their standoff, a palpable stillness as their gazes locked in a battle of wills.

A silent understanding passed between them, a recognition of the inevitable outcome. Izuku's determination mirrored in Snipe's resigned gaze. In that singular moment, victory was claimed not by force but by strategy, by the unwavering resolve to defy the odds.

With a tense exhale, Snipe relinquished, his guns falling slack at his sides. The fight, though physically demanding, had been the most fun he's had in a while. Unknowingly, a grin has stretched his features, making him seem overtaken by a sudden thrill. One that was ever so fascinating to witness by the hero in front of him. A newfound respect gathering right then and there.

As the tension ebbed away, Izuku finally lowered his swords, his victory accentuated by the resounding buzzer that was heard a little ways away, marking the end of the exam.

Turning to look back at his supposed teammate, he could feel his anger returning. Blood boiling as he let himself fall out of his adrenalin haze. The pain in his arm suddenly making itself known once more.

However, before he could move to march towards his classmate, a hand shot out to grab him, effectively putting a halt to his movements.

"Don't bother, Kid." Snipe drawled in his thick accent. "That boy's gonna get what's coming for him, don't ya worry." Tipping his hat towards him, the hero continued. "Ya did good, Midoriya, those are some mad swords skills ya got there."

His voice losing some of its tension, he answered "Thanks." With that he walked away, barely giving the fallen brat a second glance as marched right out of the gates, leaving him behind.

Maybe he could call Yui, he imagined she would be just as pissed as he was. The thought alone brought a smile to his face

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In the monitoring room, the atmosphere was tense, a palpable cloud of disbelief and fury lingering thickly. Aizawa stood, his usually impassive expression marred by a storm of emotions roiling within. Recovery Girl sat nearby, her hands clenched into fists, her usual motherly warmth eclipsed by simmering anger.

Bakugou, bristling with intensity, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, glared at the screen displaying the tumultuous fight. Tsuyu, her normally calm demeanor strained, watched the scene unfold with a mix of concern and frustration.

The sight of Mineta's betrayal had ignited a firestorm of emotions within them all. Aizawa's jaw tensed as he watched the chaos unfold, his mind a whirlwind of disappointment and anger. The consequences of Mineta's actions loomed ominously, a harsh reality that couldn't be ignored.

"Dammit, what the hell is he doing?!" Bakugou's voice thundered through the room, his frustration boiling over. "He's just running away like a coward!"

Recovery Girl's eyes narrowed, her voice a sharp edge. "That boy needs to learn that being a hero involves facing challenges, not fleeing from them."

Aizawa's silence spoke volumes, his thoughts tumultuous as he processed the gravity of Mineta's actions. The consequences were inevitable, a stark realization that weighed heavily on him. Expulsion from the hero course was an unforgiving punishment, one that Mineta had brought upon himself through his betrayal. 'Running away like that... He's not just abandoning the fight. He's endangering the lives of his fellow heroes,' Aizawa's thought, usually calm and collected, he crackled with a barely contained fury. In a real battle, It would have been an attempt to murder a fellow hero.

The implications of Mineta's actions were dire, sending shivers down Aizawa's spine. The thought of such betrayal occurring outside the training grounds, in the real world where lives were truly at stake, sent a chill through him. His jaw tightened, his gaze fixed on the screen with an intensity that bordered on rage.

Yamada, nearby, was a coiled spring of restrained fury, his hands clenching and unclenching involuntarily. His usual jovial demeanor was replaced by a steely resolve, a readiness to enforce consequences if it meant ensuring justice.

As the battle on the screen intensified, Aizawa's expression darkened. The situation had escalated beyond mere disappointment. Mineta's actions had endangered not just himself but the integrity of the hero course. His expulsion was now inevitable. Not that it was a real loss, really, but still, Aizawa had tried to give him one last chance to prove himself.

As they continued to watch, the initial shock and frustration began to ebb away, replaced by a mix of awe and admiration as Izuku's battle prowess unfolded.

Yamada, who had witnessed Izuku's growth firsthand in the virtual world, felt a surge of pride welling within him. His eyes were fixed on the screen, watching Izuku move with a grace that mirrored the skills honed in the game. A proud smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he marveled at the way Izuku wielded his swords with precision and speed, a testament to the hard work and dedication he'd shown.

Aizawa's initial fury slowly transformed into a silent appreciation as he watched the kid in action. It wasn't the first time he had witnessed the hidden potential within his student, but each display of Izuku's prowess never failed to impress. On the battle field, Kirito took over, surging through the teen with a force that was unparalleled. The way he maneuvered through the battlefield, dodging and deflecting bullets with impeccable timing, showcased a level of skill that spoke volumes about his determination and adaptability.

As the battle drew to a close, Aizawa could almost picture the hero Izuku would become in the future. One that would surely surpass most of his peers. One he was already incredibly proud of.

chapter 23 already posted on my patreon

link here