The moment Izuku finished testing his new abilities, something clicked into place.
Not excitement. Not relief.Focus.
These weren't just improvements. If he trained them properly, they could decide a fight before it even began.
"And right now… I might be the only one who can use them."
He lifted his gaze to the horizon. Morning light spilled over the city, quiet and steady.
"I'm taking first place."
Back home, he moved immediately.
Papers spread across his desk in neat layers—past records, notes, rough predictions. His pen tapped once against the page before moving again.
"Last year's opening event was the rolling ball race… the year before that, obstacle course…"
He flipped to the next page.
"They rotate every other year. So this year…"
The pen pressed down.
"Obstacle course. First event."
A single underline.
"Then combat rounds."
He leaned back slightly, thinking.
"Class 1-B… General Studies… they're unpredictable. Worth paying attention to."
A pause.
"The rest… manageable."
His eyes lifted.
Three photos were pinned to the wall.
"Kacchan. Todoroki. Shinso."
The room seemed to still around them.
"Kacchan and Todoroki are the strongest in terms of raw power…"
His gaze shifted.
"But Shinso…"
He stepped forward, pulling the photo free and placing it on the desk.
"…is the one who could trip me up."
He studied it, expression tightening.
"Brainwashing through conversation. If I respond, I lose control."
His fingers tapped lightly against the desk, steady and rhythmic.
"…Dangerous."
A breath.
"But not unbeatable."
The rest of the day passed in quiet intensity.
Plans layered over plans. Possibilities tested, discarded, refined. Strengths measured against risks.
By nightfall, nothing felt certain—
but everything felt prepared.
The next morning, the UA Sports Festival began.
The waiting room carried a low, constant tension—voices overlapping, footsteps shifting, the energy of a hundred expectations pressing down at once.
Izuku stood among his classmates, rolling his shoulders once.
"…Still nervous."
Nearby, Mineta muttered under his breath, repeating the same motion over and over, trying to calm himself in his own way.
"Midoriya."
Izuku turned.
Todoroki stood beside him, posture straight, expression calm to the point of stillness.
"Todoroki. What's up?"
No hesitation.
"Objectively, I'm stronger than you."
Izuku considered it, then nodded.
"Yeah. You probably are."
There was no tension in his voice. Just acceptance.
Todoroki watched him closely.
"You've been getting a lot of attention from All Might. I don't care why."
A brief pause.
"But I will beat you."
Across the room, Kaminari leaned back, grin already forming. "Wow. No warm-up at all. Guess we're doing this now."
Izuku's hand tightened at his side, just slightly.
"I don't really know why you're focusing on me," he said, meeting Todoroki's gaze, "but…"
He exhaled, steadying himself.
"You're strong. Stronger than most people here."
Then his voice shifted—not louder, but firmer.
"But I'm not backing down. If you're challenging me, I'll accept it. I'll fight you seriously."
Kirishima's grin widened. "Now that's the spirit!"
"Enough," Iida said, already at the door. "It's time. Everyone, move out."
The door slid open.
"Let's show them what Class 1-A can do."
"Yeah!"
The class moved as one, stepping forward.
The stadium unfolded before them.
A vast sea of people filled the stands, their voices blending into a single, rising roar. Screens flashed overhead. Cameras swept across the arena. The air itself felt alive, charged with anticipation.
At the center, Present Mic stood at the announcer's platform, already commanding the stage.
"WELCOME TO THE UA SPORTS FESTIVAL!"
His voice thundered across the stadium.
"WHERE THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEROES STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT—AND PROVES WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF!"