The waiting room of Class 1-A was filled with anticipation, students making last-minute preparations. However, the moment the door opened and Midoriya stepped inside, followed by an unfamiliar face, the atmosphere changed.
Xuanyu's tall frame and composed demeanor immediately drew attention. His sharp eyes, faintly glowing with nine different colors under the fluorescent lights, gave him an almost otherworldly presence. He wore the standard U.A. gym uniform, just like the rest of them, yet no one had ever seen him before.
Iida, standing rigidly near the front, was the first to speak. Adjusting his rectangular glasses, he asked, "Midoriya! Who is this? I do not recall seeing him in any of U.A.'s courses!" His deep blue hair was neatly combed, as always, reinforcing his disciplined and orderly nature.
Before Midoriya could answer, Ochako tilted her head, brown eyes filled with curiosity. "Wait, I thought all U.A. students had to participate in the festival... but I don't remember him at all. Is he from another department?" She glanced at Kirishima, who stood nearby with his muscular arms crossed, his spiky red hair making him look even more intense.
Kirishima frowned slightly, his sharp teeth showing as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, that's kinda weird. If he was from General Studies or Support, we would've heard about it, right?" His crimson eyes shifted to Xuanyu, clearly trying to figure him out.
Sero, his black hair slightly messy and his lean build giving him a relaxed look, nodded. "Exactly. All U.A. students have to participate, so he should be from U.A.… but we've never seen him before." His dark eyes narrowed slightly in confusion.
Yaoyorozu, standing with her usual poised posture, her long black hair tied elegantly in a high ponytail, placed a hand on her chin. "Even if an exception was made, it would have been officially announced. U.A. doesn't allow outsiders to participate so easily…" Her noble features were serious, deep in thought.
Denki Kaminari leaned slightly toward Jirou, whispering, "Maybe he's, like, a secret hero-in-training or something?" His spiky blond hair and carefree expression made it clear he wasn't taking things too seriously.
Jirou, her short dark purple hair barely brushing her shoulders, rolled her eyes. "That's dumb." Her violet eyes flickered toward Xuanyu, studying him for a second longer than she normally would, but she didn't comment further.
Bakugo, standing near the back, clicked his tongue in irritation. His crimson eyes locked onto Xuanyu, filled with intensity. "Tch. Who the hell cares where he's from? If he's here, that means he's competition." His spiky blond hair only added to his already aggressive presence. "You. Who the hell are you?"
Todoroki, his dual-colored red and white hair making him instantly recognizable, watched Xuanyu with calm but piercing heterochromatic eyes—one gray, one turquoise. "And more importantly… why are you here?" His tone was unreadable, but there was clear curiosity behind it.
Midoriya quickly raised his hands. "W-Wait! Let me explain!" He took a deep breath before dropping the revelation.
"He's… not a U.A. student."
The room fell silent.
Ashido, her vibrant pink skin and golden eyes widening in shock, was the first to react. "Huh?! Not a U.A. student? Then how does he have our gym uniform?" She leaned forward slightly, her horns tilting as she examined Xuanyu again.
Sato, his large, muscular frame making him look even more imposing, crossed his arms. "Only U.A. students should have one." His deep voice rumbled through the room.
Shoji, his tall and multi-armed form barely moving, finally spoke. "If he's allowed to participate despite not being a student, then U.A. must have a reason." His masked face revealed no emotions, but his words were measured.
Yaoyorozu's expression grew even more serious. "For U.A. to make such an exception… this is unprecedented."
Before anyone could ask more, the room's speakers crackled to life.
Principal Nezu's Announcement
"Good morning, Class 1-A! I see you've already noticed our special guest!" Nezu's cheerful voice rang through the room, immediately capturing everyone's attention.
"To clear up any confusion, let me explain! Xuanyu is a special guest of U.A. and a friend of All Might! Due to some very unique circumstances and the request of some highly influential individuals, we have granted him permission to participate in the first two rounds of the Sports Festival."
The shock only deepened.
"All Might's friend?!"
The moment Principal Nezu mentioned All Might's friend, the room buzzed with even more disbelief.
Kirishima's jaw nearly dropped as he looked at Xuanyu with renewed interest. "Wait, wait, wait—so not only is he not a U.A. student, but he's also a friend of All Might? That's insane!" His sharp-toothed grin widened. "That's seriously manly, dude!"
Ochako blinked in rapid succession, tilting her head. "I mean… that makes sense, I guess? But still, it's kinda crazy that they'd let someone outside of U.A. compete." Her brown eyes flickered to Midoriya. "Deku, you knew about this?"
Midoriya nodded, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Y-Yeah, but I couldn't exactly say anything before Nezu announced it…"
Todoroki, still watching Xuanyu with a calm but slightly narrowed gaze, crossed his arms. "If he's a friend of All Might, then he must be strong." He didn't say it outright, but there was a clear hint of curiosity in his tone.
Bakugo, on the other hand, looked outright pissed. "Tch! What kind of bullshit is that?! A special guest?! You think this is some kind of joke?!" His crimson eyes burned with fury as he took a step forward. "You better not get in my way, bastard, or I'll blow your ass off the stage."
Xuanyu, who had been silent up until now, simply observed them with mild amusement. His eyes briefly flickered toward Bakugo, but he didn't react aggressively. Instead, he smiled slightly, as if Bakugo's rage wasn't even worth acknowledging.
"Damn, he's really calm," Kaminari muttered under his breath. His golden hair, usually spiked up in an electrified mess, looked even more ruffled as he tried to wrap his head around the situation. "I feel like Bakugo just threatened him, and he couldn't care less."
Jirou, standing nearby, crossed her arms. Her purple hair shifted slightly as she adjusted her earphone jacks. "Well, that just makes him more interesting, doesn't it?" Her violet eyes lingered on Xuanyu for a second longer before she looked away.
Xuanyu's gaze had briefly studied her as well. The earphone jacks, her sharp features, and the way she carried herself—she had a cool, casual presence, but he could tell she was paying close attention to everything. However, his eyes didn't linger. Instead, they subtly shifted toward Yaoyorozu.
Momo, standing with her usual elegant posture, still looked deep in thought. The way she analyzed the situation, the careful way she spoke—Xuanyu found it intriguing. But what really intrigued him was her really mature body.
Suddenly he frowned, huh are his hormones acting? But he will be seven in few weeks, so how? He isn't even considered a teenager.
Nezu's voice crackled through the speakers again, cutting through the murmurs and Xuanyu's thoughts.
"Oh, and before anyone worries about fairness, don't fret! Since Xuanyu is participating, we've adjusted the ranking system. An extra qualifying spot has been added for the first round, so no student will lose their chance because of him. Isn't that wonderful?"
Yaoyorozu sighed in relief. "Well, at least that ensures no one is at an unfair disadvantage."
Iida, who had been completely stiff up until now, suddenly straightened even further—if that was even possible. "In that case, we must welcome our guest with proper U.A. spirit! Although this is highly unorthodox, if Principal Nezu and All Might approve of it, then we must accept it with dignity!" He turned toward Xuanyu, extending a hand. "Welcome to the U.A. Sports Festival, Xuanyu!"
Xuanyu glanced at Iida's outstretched hand before finally responding. His voice was smooth, calm, and composed.
"Thank you." He shook Iida's hand firmly, his eyes flickering with something unreadable.
Midoriya let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. At least things hadn't spiraled too much.
"Alright, alright," Kirishima clapped his hands together, grinning. "Guess we'll just have to see what you're made of out there, huh?"
Bakugo clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn't say anything else.
Todoroki remained unreadable but seemed to accept the situation.
Jirou's gaze lingered for a second before she casually looked away.
Yaoyorozu nodded, as if coming to terms with it all.
And with that, the tension in the room settled—at least for now.