Chapter 101: Blue Fire
Aoi left with them to the outside, looking at the people in the packed stadium. The grandstands were overflowing thousands of spectators packed shoulder to shoulder, banners waving in every color of the rainbow, the roar of the crowd rising like a living wave. Cheers, laughter, and excited shouts echoed off the high walls of the arena, the energy almost tangible in the air.
He said:
—Well, there really are a lot of people. I really didn't think watching a bunch of brats like us fighting would be so interesting.
Aizawa said:
—Aoi, this isn't about fighting. It's about seeing the new generation of heroes and how you all will perform.
Izuku said embarrassed:
—Yes, Aoi. The teacher is right. It's not about the fighting they want to see. They want to see if we'll be good heroes.
Aoi looked at them and yawned, saying:
—To me, it looks like they just want to see entertainment.
Looking at Present Mic, who was hyping up the crowd from his commentator's booth with his usual over-the-top energy, Aoi then heard a voice from the General Studies section:
—We're here just to... the others seem fine.
Aoi looked at the General Studies students and thought:
—This thing of wanting to make everyone look the same is the worst inequality of all. After all, even if the hero class can't use their uniforms, what does that change? Absolutely nothing. They will still be stronger. Forcing them to be here with this idea of equality... After all, when the competition starts, they won't even get close. Making them go through this...
He looked at them who were excited and thought:
—I think some know it's useless, but most are happy because they can try to enter the hero course if their performance is good.
Momo, seeing Aoi lost in thought, asked:
—What is it, Aoi?
Aoi said smiling:
—It's nothing. Just life being a little complicated.
At that moment, Midnight climbed onto the stage and cracked her whip, the sharp sound cutting through the noise like a blade. The entire stadium quieted almost instantly, all eyes turning toward her.
Midnight looked at them and said:
—Silence now! The representative of Class 1-A, Aoi Todoroki, come forward.
She said smiling.
Aoi was about to walk toward the front of the stage when Momo said:
—Aoi, nothing too explosive in your speech.
Aoi said:
—All right. I won't be too arrogant.
He said while walking toward the stage.
Kaminari, seeing this, smiled tiredly and said:
—Does anyone here trust that he won't be arrogant?
Bakugou smiled and said:
—That blue-haired pervert not being arrogant? That's impossible.
The other classmates, hearing this, just sighed tiredly.
Aoi then climbed onto the stage and looked at the crowd and said:
—Look, I know many of you think you can't or don't have the ability to win.
He smiled and, looking at them, said:
—It's something natural. After all, I am better. So at least fight for second place. It's still vacant.
All the students were shocked for a second. They then started booing him, the sound rising in a wave of indignation from the stands.
Aoi smiled and ignored them, descending from the stage. He then approached his classmates and said:
—So, did you like the speech?
Izuku said embarrassed:
—Aoi, you shouldn't have said that. Look how angry they are at us.
Aoi looked around and saw them glaring and said:
—Well, it's true.
Izuku then asked full of hope:
—So do you regret it?
Aoi smiling said:
—Not even a little.
Momo, seeing this, smiled and said:
—It's no use trying to change this hard-headed guy, Izuku. Now we just need to win the competition.
Lida said:
—Yes, we need to focus on the competition.
Midnight on stage said:
—Now, without further ado, let's start the first event. These preliminaries are the phase where so many freshmen lose and go home. So what will be the event that will be the challenge for this year's freshmen?
The large monitor screen behind her displayed the first event of this sports festival.
Midnight then looked at the result and said:
—Obstacle Race!
She looked at them and said:
—It's a race between the eleven classes. The course is a 4-kilometer lap.
They then saw that the side portal began to move, indicating the entrance path for the race.
Midnight smiled and said:
—Our school has always preached freedom in all things. So as long as you don't leave the course, anything goes.
Aoi looked at them and thought:
—And it seems they're excited. I just hope they stay excited when reality hits them.
They then entered the tunnel. The air inside was cooler, the sound of the crowd muffled, replaced by the echo of footsteps and nervous breathing.
Midnight, seeing this, looked at them and said:
—Now, everyone in your positions!
Aoi positioned himself like a runner at a rocket launch, ready to take off, with his blue flames starting to come out of his feet. The radiated from him, the flames flickering with controlled intensity, casting a soft azure glow on the tunnel walls.
Izuku and the other classmates, seeing Aoi like that, became serious. They knew he was going to keep his promise to take it seriously.
Bakugou, seeing this, smiled and said:
—This bastard looks like he's going to keep his promise. So I'm going after him to take first place.
Izuku, seeing this, thought:
—I have to show that I'm here. I can't disappoint All Might.
They then stayed looking at the exit waiting for the start. The tension in the tunnel was thick—every runner poised, muscles tensed, the distant roar of the crowd filtering through like thunder.
When everyone heard the ding, time seemed to slow down. When a blue blur passed by them and when they looked ahead, a shockwave pushed them in all directions. The force was sudden and overwhelming, knocking several students off balance, their bodies tumbling forward in a chaotic heap.
When everyone got up after a minute, they saw the entire audience in silence. They then looked at the screens and saw Aoi already at the finish line with blue fire all over his body, standing calmly as if he'd simply walked there.
Aoi looked at the shocked crowd and said:
—I told you I was the strongest.
The crowd, snapping out of the shock, started cheering excitedly, the sound building into a deafening roar that shook the stadium.
Aoi just looked at the screen and said:
—Second place is still available, as I said. Just come take it.
The other competitors, hearing this, got angry and shouted that he thinks he only won one competition, there are still more.
Bakugou got angry hearing this and said:
—It looks like I'm going to have to try harder to wipe that smug smile off that pervert's face.
Izuku looked in shock still and said:
—So strong... I knew he was strong, but now competing with him is too strong.
He then looked at Aoi on the screen and said:
—But I'm not going to give up.
He then started running.
The other competitors, seeing Izuku running, remembered that the competition wasn't over yet and ran after him, determination reigniting in their eyes