[Third Person Pov]
"That is not the strength of someone that's quirkless," Kane stated flatly, his brows furrowing as his sharp gaze shifted between Tony and Melissa. There was no accusation in his tone, only disbelief and a growing curiosity that refused to be ignored.
"Were you all using your tech or your quirks to augment your strength?" Coach Lawrence asked next. His voice was calm, but his eyes were anything but. They moved with practiced precision, carefully analyzing the three test takers in front of him, observing posture, muscle tension, breathing—searching for any sign of artificial assistance.
"Nope, it's all natural, baby," Tony replied without missing a beat. He raised both arms and flexed dramatically, his biceps swelling beneath the fabric of his shirt. He leaned forward and planted an exaggerated kiss on each one, completely unbothered by the stunned silence around him.
"Liar." The word came out sharper than anyone expected.
All eyes turned toward Eric.
The shy boy looked just as surprised as everyone else that he had spoken. His usual timid demeanor had momentarily vanished, replaced by raw astonishment. His wide eyes remained locked on Tony as he continued, his voice trembling slightly but filled with conviction. "There's no way that's natural. Not even people with strength-related quirks could exert that kind of power."
Tony scratched the back of his head casually, as if caught exaggerating about something trivial. "Okay, fine," he admitted with a shrug. "It's not totally natural… but it is natural."
That only made things worse.
The faculty members exchanged uneasy glances. Their suspicion deepened, their minds racing through possibilities.
"Is it… a drug?" one of the teachers asked cautiously.
The question hung heavily in the air. It wasn't an unreasonable assumption. Tony's intellect was already well known. If anyone his age could develop some form of physical enhancement compound, it would be him. But that possibility also carried serious legal and ethical consequences—especially considering he was still underage.
The atmosphere turned tense almost instantly.
"It's not a drug," Howard and Maria said at the exact same time, after all they didn't want people to start looking at them weirdly and think they're bad parents.
Howard cleared his throat and stepped forward. "It's a serum," he explained hesitantly at first. But then his posture straightened, and his expression hardened into the composed, untouchable mask of a powerful business tycoon. His voice dropped into something firmer, colder. "A Stark family secret."
The message was clear.
Stop asking questions.
Mind your own business.
The teachers understood immediately. Their curiosity didn't vanish, but they knew better than to press further. Before the silence could grow awkward, Kane suddenly burst into loud, booming laughter.
"Hahaha!" he roared as he walked toward Howard, clapping him firmly on the shoulder. "Well, that explains where all those muscles came from! You certainly didn't have those when I last saw you!"
Howard grimaced faintly at his brother-in-law's bluntness, though he didn't say anything. His embarrassment was subtle, carefully buried beneath his usual composed demeanor.
Tony, sensing an opportunity to redirect everyone's attention, decided to escalate the distraction.
Without warning, a liquid metallic substance flowed across his skin like living mercury. It spread rapidly from his wrist upward, forming a sleek, armored gauntlet that covered his entire arm up to his shoulder. The metal locked into place with a series of smooth, mechanical clicks.
Glowing lines of energy illuminated across its surface in intricate patterns.
A low, audible hum filled the air as power coursed through the mechanisms. Tony raised his armored arm slightly and asked innocently, "Shall I try it now with my suit?"
"No!, No!, No!" The Principal and every teacher present shouted at once, waving their hands frantically in refusal.
Their reaction was immediate and absolute. If Tony's natural strength alone was already so absurd, none of them wanted to imagine what he was capable of with technological amplification.
Tony chuckled softly, amused by their panic. The metal receded smoothly, dissolving back into liquid form before vanishing completely beneath his sleeve. "Alright," he said casually. "Then what's next?"
Principal Issac sighed deeply, already feeling a headache forming. He had a strong feeling that supervising Tony Stark was going to be far more exhausting than he anticipated.
"The next task," he announced, gesturing toward a towering rope that extended high into the air, "is a timed rope climb. Reach the top and ring the bell as quickly as possible."
Tony tilted his head upward, following the rope all the way to its distant endpoint. "Seems easy enough," he said simply.
He took a few steps back, rolling his shoulders as he loosened his muscles. Then he cracked his neck from side to side, letting out a faint sigh. "I really should've worn something more comfortable for this," he muttered regretfully.
Without further delay, he broke into a sprint. His feet struck the ground with controlled force before he launched himself upward in a powerful leap. His hand shot out and grabbed the rope nearly halfway up its length.
The rope swung violently from the sudden momentum. Gasps erupted from the observers below.
But Tony remained completely stable. His arms moved in a blur as he pulled himself upward with explosive efficiency. One pull. Two pulls. Three.
Each motion lifted him several feet at a time.
Within seconds, he reached the top. His hand shot out and slapped the bell.
CLANG.
The clear metallic ring echoed loudly across the testing grounds.
And then he let go.
A collective scream rose from the crowd. From that height, a fall would almost certainly result in serious injury—if not worse.
Tony plummeted rapidly toward the ground.
But just before impact, his body shifted smoothly.
He bent his leg and landed cleanly on one knee.
Melissa didn't hesitate.
The moment Tony finished his descent, she rushed forward with surprising speed. Her shoes tapped rapidly against the ground before she leapt upward, planting a foot onto Tony's shoulders with perfect balance.
Using him as a human springboard, she pushed off powerfully, her body launching upward with graceful momentum. Her hand shot out and grabbed the rope cleanly, and instead of climbing it immediately, she allowed her body to swing in a smooth arc, her hair and clothes flowing behind her as she rotated around it with effortless control.
The movement wasn't just efficient.
It was stylish.
Her arms flexed as she began to climb, her motions quick, precise, and controlled. Within seconds, she reached the top and slapped the bell confidently.
CLANG.
Without hesitation, she released the rope. Her body dropped rapidly toward the ground. But Tony was already waiting.
He stepped forward and caught her securely by the waist as if she weighed nothing at all. The motion was smooth and practiced, his hands steady as he absorbed the momentum of her fall before gently lowering her onto her feet.
Melissa beamed at him, clearly pleased with herself.
Not to be outdone, Momo stepped forward next.
Her expression remained calm and composed, but her shoes began to subtly shift. The soles separated slightly, revealing intricate technological mechanisms hidden within. A faint glow appeared beneath them as energy began to build.
Then—
They ignited.
A controlled burst of propulsion fired downward, launching her upward into the air with elegant precision. Her ascent was smooth and perfectly calculated, her posture flawless as she reached the bell and slapped it cleanly.
CLANG.
Instead of dropping, she angled her feet. The propulsion system activated again, this time in short controlled bursts. She descended gracefully, skating through the air. She touched the ground lightly before gliding forward, the propulsion slowly fading until she came to a gentle stop beside Tony.
She casually dusted off her hands as if she had done nothing remarkable.
Melissa puffed her cheeks and pouted cutely.
"You really are a cheater."
Momo shrugged nonchalantly. "It was never specifically stated that we couldn't use our quirks or that we had to touch the rope. Our objective was simply to touch the bell"
Tony chuckled softly, clearly enjoying himself. "Next task," he said expectantly, rolling his shoulders. "This is starting to be fun."
The following events unfolded less like an exam and more like a performance.
The spectators could do nothing but watch in amazement.
The 100-meter dash was completed in seconds, their bodies blurring across the field faster than most people could even react. The weightlifting test was even more shocking—the bar bent visibly under the sheer amount of plates stacked onto it, yet Tony, Melissa, and Momo lifted it with controlled strength.
Their balance and reflexes were tested next, forcing them across unstable platforms, shifting beams, and unpredictable obstacles. Yet their movements remained precise and flawless.
Their aiming test followed.
Targets moved rapidly, appearing and disappearing at random intervals, yet each of them struck with near-perfect accuracy.
Every test they touched, they dominated.
With each passing moment, the expressions of the observers shifted further—from curiosity… to disbelief… to admiration.
To those watching, Tony, Melissa, and Momo no longer seemed like ordinary students, they were something else entirely.
Something greater, something superhuman.
"There's going to be one final test before you all pass the physical portion of the exam," Principal Issac announced.
His lips twitched slightly as his eyes scanned the gymnasium. The visible damage scattered throughout the testing area—cracked flooring, bent equipment, and stress fractures in reinforced structures—served as undeniable evidence of the trio's overwhelming physical capabilities.
Tony, Melissa, and Momo all avoided eye contact briefly, suddenly finding the floor, walls, or ceiling very interesting.
Principal Issac continued regardless. "You will each personally battle one of us."
Tony's eyes lit up immediately.
"Oh, now we're talking," he said, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Who will I be fighting?"
Principal Issac smiled faintly, recognizing that look. He had seen it countless times before in promising students—the look of someone who thrived on challenge.
"Mr. Stark, your battle will be with Professor Carbonell. Ms. Shield, your battle will be with me. And Ms. Yaoyorozu, your battle will be with Coach Lawrence."
Kane—Professor Carbonell—burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Now we're talking!" he said excitedly, rolling his shoulders as he stepped forward. His grin widened as he looked directly at Tony. "Don't think that just because we're family I'm going to go easy on you, kid."
Tony grinned right back at him, his eyes sharp with anticipation. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Unc."
Melissa turned toward Principal Issac, her expression bright with excitement rather than intimidation. "Oh? I'm up against the Principal?" she said, clearly thrilled. "This might actually be exciting."
Momo, in contrast, stepped forward respectfully and bowed formally.
"Please take care of me," she said politely.
Coach Lawrence blinked in surprise.
He hadn't expected such formal etiquette in the middle of a combat exam. Acting purely on instinct, he returned the bow, "Likewise," he replied.
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