For a moment, I think I might have amused him.

That was clearly a mistake.

Because the smile on Principal Nezu's face slowly fades.

Not completely.

But enough that something in the room shifts.

The cheerful principal persona disappears like someone flipped a switch.

And suddenly the creature sitting behind the desk isn't just the cute chimera that hijacked an ambulance and laughed like a demon.

Now he looks like the reason people whisper about him in the first place.

Nezu places my exam papers neatly on the desk.

Then he folds his paws together.

His red eyes settle on me again.

"Midoriya Izuku," he says calmly.

The way he says my name makes the air feel heavier.

"You finished the written exam in fifteen minutes."

"Yes."

"You criticized its structure."

"...Yes."

"And you walked directly into my office to explain why you believe the entrance test for the most prestigious hero academy in the country is flawed."

I shrug slightly.

"Well when you summarize it like that—"

Nezu tilts his head.

"And you are fifteen years old."

"...Yes."

Silence stretches.

Then—

"Interesting."

The word lands differently this time.

Not amused.

Not playful.

Evaluating.

I shift slightly in the chair.

Nezu taps one paw lightly against the desk.

"You believe the exam is inefficient."

"Yes."

"You believe you could design a better one."

"I didn't say that."

"You implied it."

"...Fair."

Nezu's eyes narrow slightly.

"Tell me something, Midoriya-kun."

His voice is still polite.

But now it feels like I just stepped onto a chessboard without realizing it.

"What is the purpose of an entrance exam?"

I answer automatically.

"To filter applicants."

"For what purpose?"

"To identify students capable of succeeding in the program."

Nezu nods once.

"Good."

Then he leans forward.

"And what makes you think this exam fails to do that?"

I blink.

That... is not the direction I expected.

"Well—"

I gesture toward the test.

"Because it mostly tests memorization of publicly available information."

Nezu raises a paw.

"And how many applicants do you believe possess that memorized knowledge?"

"...Probably not many."

"Correct."

His smile returns slightly.

"But you do."

"...Yes."

"And therefore the exam appears easy."

Oh.

I pause.

Nezu watches my reaction closely.

"You see, Midoriya-kun," he continues calmly, "difficulty is relative."

He taps the test paper again.

"For a student who spent years studying hero operations... this exam might appear trivial."

Another tap.

"But for the average fifteen-year-old applicant?"

He tilts his head.

"It is not."

I open my mouth.

Then close it.

...That is annoyingly logical.

Nezu's smile sharpens slightly.

"Furthermore, the written exam serves a secondary purpose."

I frown.

"Which is?"

"Observation."

That word makes my spine straighten.

Nezu leans back in his chair.

"Watching how applicants behave under pressure is far more informative than the answers themselves."

His gaze stays locked on me.

"Some panic."

"Some cheat."

"Some give up."

"And occasionally..."

His tail flicks behind the desk.

"...someone finishes the exam in fifteen minutes and walks into the principal's office to critique it."

Right.

That sounds significantly worse when he says it.

I scratch my cheek.

"...In my defense, Aizawa-sensei told me to."

Nezu chuckles.

"Yes."

"He would."

For a moment, the playful glint returns.

Then Nezu suddenly tilts his head again.

"And yet..."

His eyes sharpen.

"You didn't hesitate."

"What?"

"To come here."

He studies my expression carefully.

"Most students would be intimidated by this situation."

I shrug.

"Well... you already hijacked an ambulance once."

Nezu blinks.

Then he laughs.

Actually laughs.

"Oh my."

"That's still bothering you, isn't it?"

"It was very traumatic for the medics."

"I'm sure it was."

The tension in the room loosens slightly.

But only slightly.

Because Nezu's gaze never fully stops analyzing me.

After a moment he gestures toward the exam again.

"You are correct about one thing, however."

I tilt my head.

"The test could be improved."

Wait.

"...Really?"

"Yes."

He taps the notes I wrote.

"Your suggestion regarding scenario-based questions has merit."

That was not the reaction I expected.

Nezu watches my confusion with visible amusement.

"Did you believe I would be offended?"

"...Maybe a little."

"Oh no."

His smile widens.

"Constructive criticism is valuable."

He pauses.

"Especially when it comes from someone who clearly understands the subject matter."

That compliment feels... dangerous.

I decide not to react.

Nezu seems pleased by that.

Then he glances at the clock.

"However."

He stands up on his chair.

"The written exam is only the first phase."

My stomach tightens slightly.

"The practical exam begins shortly."

Ah.

Right.

The robot destruction test.

Nezu hops down from the chair and walks around the desk.

When he reaches the door, he pauses and looks back at me.

"Midoriya-kun."

"Yes?"

His red eyes gleam slightly.

"I am curious."

"About what?"

"How you perform when the situation is no longer theoretical."

...Oh.

That's definitely a challenge.

I stand up too.

"Well..."

I rub the back of my neck.

"I guess we'll find out."

Nezu smiles.

"Yes."

He opens the office door.

"I believe we will."

As I step into the hallway again, one thought keeps circling in my head.

The written exam might have been easy.

But somehow...

Talking to Principal Nezu felt like the real test.

And I have a strong feeling the next part is going to be a lot less forgiving.