Midoriya Izuku realized this was his chance the moment the iceberg shattered.
Using the remaining height of the ice, he could cross the magma belt much more easily.
However, he wasn't the only one with that idea.
After the leading runners climbed onto the iceberg, more and more students rushed up behind them.
"Run! Hurry! This ice is going to melt!"
Even without being warned, everyone could see the iceberg shrinking at a speed visible to the naked eye. The crowd instantly recreated the chaos that had happened at the starting gate.
Midoriya was caught right in the middle of it.
Fortunately, after ten months of brutal physical training, his body was no longer weak. He struggled forward through the press of bodies and barely squeezed his way to the top.
"This distance… I can make the jump!"
Without any time to hesitate, Midoriya launched himself off the iceberg with all his strength.
But then—something went wrong.
They were wearing ordinary athletic shoes. On melting ice, slipping was inevitable. In the rush, Midoriya hadn't paid attention to his footing. When he pushed off with full force, his foot slid.
In that instant, he failed to fully channel his strength.
From the trajectory alone, it was clear—he wouldn't reach the far side.
He was going to fall straight into the molten magma below.
"AHHHHH—! This is really it! I won't even have bones left if I fall in there!"
Midair, Midoriya's mind went blank.
He didn't have a Quirk like rapid regeneration.
"I've inherited All Might's power… I'm trusted by All Might and Masata… so why haven't I grown at all?!"
Watching from the stands, All Might, who had been focused on Midoriya the entire time, froze in panic.
"Midoriya boy!!"
He gripped his knees tightly, cold sweat pouring down his face—but he was far too far from the course. Even he could do nothing.
In the air, Midoriya seemed to feel All Might's gaze.
Memories surfaced.
"You can definitely become a hero."
"I'll entrust the title of Symbol of Peace to you, Izuku."
The voices echoed in his mind.
And suddenly, the panic vanished.
"I… I want to be the greatest hero!"
Green lightning erupted from Midoriya's body, wrapping around him in crackling arcs. The magma was less than five meters below now, its heat blasting against his face—but his thoughts had never been clearer.
"SMASH!!!"
He punched downward with everything he had.
The massive shockwave struck the magma pool, producing a violent counterforce that launched Midoriya backward—away from the lava and toward solid ground.
However, the students behind him weren't so lucky.
They had to dodge splashing magma, and the iceberg—already weakened—began collapsing from the shockwave. Panic spread as many students retreated immediately.
"This is—!"
After landing safely, Midoriya stared at his arm in disbelief.
It was unharmed.
"Did I… forcibly adjust One For All just now? That felt different… but it was probably an accident."
As the power faded from his body, Midoriya understood it hadn't been intentional. Still, the sensation was burned into his memory.
He knew it would become the key to mastering One For All.
"Well done, Midoriya boy!" All Might clenched his fist in excitement.
"The young eagle only grows after leaving the nest!"
His joy was uncontainable. After all, both Midoriya and Masata had broken through at critical moments.
"Now's not the time to think—I have to keep running!"
Midoriya surged forward again, chasing the leaders.
Meanwhile, Igarashi Masata stood before the next obstacle.
A sheer cliff.
The opposite side was nearly a kilometer away. Below lay a vast abyss filled with stone pillars of varying heights. Steel cables stretched between the pillars—clearly designed for students to cross by tightrope walking.
"Fall once and you're eliminated! Cross carefully! THE FALL!"
Present Mic's enthusiastic voice echoed through the stadium.
Masata squinted at the scene.
"…Isn't this way too simple? The pillars are close enough to just jump across, aren't they?"
The image was broadcast live on the giant screen.
No, Masata—only you think that.
But Masata wasn't satisfied.
"This is boring. Let's add some spice."
A wicked idea formed instantly.
At the starting platform, five steel cables were connected.
"Five is way too many. One is enough."
With a casual wave of his hand, magma shot out and melted the anchor point of four cables. The severed cables instantly lost support and fell limply into the abyss.
"Perfect. I hope there won't be a stampede now."
Wearing a black-bellied grin, Masata flexed his legs and leapt.
With just a few explosive jumps, he landed smoothly on the far side.
"Igarashi has done it again!" Present Mic shouted.
"He actually cut off the road! And this time—it was absolutely intentional!"
Not long after, the first wave of students arrived.
They froze.
Only a single steel cable remained.
"YOU MAGMA BASTARD!!! Are you screwing with us?!"
Bakugo Katsuki roared in fury as he spotted Masata waving smugly from the far side. Rage exploded in his chest as he charged onto the cable, using controlled explosions from his hands to propel himself forward at high speed.
Todoroki Shoto followed immediately, freezing the cable beneath his feet and skating across it.
Everyone else stared in disbelief.
The remaining cable was now coated in thick ice—grabbing it barehanded would freeze skin instantly.
Class 1-A is insane.
That was the unspoken thought shared by many.
"Time for us to shine too, Yaoyorozu!"
Chacha and Yaoyorozu Momo were also among the leading group. After nearly twenty days of targeted training, Chacha's physique had improved dramatically, and using her Quirk on herself was no longer as exhausting as before.
"Hey!"
Chacha tapped Yaoyorozu with the sphere at her fingertip.
The two leapt forward together—floating as if walking through midair—drifting cleanly across the abyss.
After landing, Chacha touched her fingers again, canceling the weightless effect. Using the sliding device Yaoyorozu had created earlier, the two slid forward before touching down and immediately resumed running.