"Seriously? We have to race that guy?"
"Hey, I might not be able to beat him in a fight, but running is my specialty."
"Shina-san, sorry in advance!"
Yoran Inasa called out to Shina Etsuha, his eyes blazing with competitive spirit. It was obvious—he wanted to challenge him head-on.
Etsuha gave him a brief nod, then turned his attention to the track.
Including himself, there were eight participants selected by Aizawa Shouta, each assigned to their own lane. One of them had visible flames bursting from his body—clearly a fire-type Quirk user.
The others who caught Etsuha's attention were Yaoyorozu Momo and Yoran Inasa.
Momo's Quirk allowed her to create any non-living object using her body's fat as raw material—a powerful but situational ability. As for Inasa, his Quirk resembled storm manipulation. In the anime, his performance had been overwhelming—he could casually generate massive winds, making him one of the most eye-catching participants.
"Was this lineup chosen specifically to counter me?" Etsuha wondered.
Yoran Inasa could lift himself into the air, making it extremely difficult for ground-based ice attacks to reach him. If he simply stayed airborne and focused on evasion, even Etsuha would have trouble dealing with him—the sky was entirely Inasa's domain.
"Eraser Head, you're being pretty ruthless," Present Mic said, scratching his head as he looked at the lineup. "There's that afro guy with a 'magma' Quirk, another girl with a 'high-temperature' Quirk, and even someone like Yoran Inasa. This is going to be a serious challenge for that kid—especially since his stamina hasn't fully recovered yet."
Aizawa Shouta replied calmly, his expression unchanged, "I'm giving the others a fair chance. And for Shina, this is a good lesson."
Present Mic paused, then suddenly understood.
Without these fire-type Quirk users to counterbalance things, Etsuha would be far too dominant. He could freeze everyone at the start and casually walk the 800 meters to victory.
But now, with multiple Quirks that directly counter ice, that strategy wouldn't work. If those two coordinated even slightly, Etsuha might actually struggle.
"That kid's Quirk is powerful," Aizawa continued, "but none of the students here are weak. Everyone who earned a recommendation has their own strengths. If Shina experiences some setbacks, it won't be to suppress him—it's to teach him that his Quirk isn't invincible. There are always abilities in this world that can counter your own."
"Hmm… makes sense," Present Mic nodded, though inwardly he rolled his eyes.
You're just making things harder for the kid and dressing it up as a life lesson… classic Eraser Head.
Etsuha stepped onto the track.
To his surprise, aside from Yaoyorozu Momo and Yoran Inasa, the other students were clearly treating him as their primary threat. They huddled together, whispering strategies.
After Aizawa's explanation, everyone understood the rules: unrestricted racing meant interference—and even direct attacks—were allowed.
And under those conditions, Etsuha's ice Quirk was terrifying.
"For now, Shina is the biggest threat. Why don't we team up?"
"We can't let him interfere with our progress!"
"He's strong, but not unbeatable—listen to me…"
"Team up with me. My Quirk is 'high temperature.' I can control the surrounding heat so his ice won't affect us."
"..."
"Are all of you seriously targeting me…?" Etsuha muttered, unsure whether to laugh or sigh.
He wasn't deaf—their discussions were loud enough for him to hear everything.
Seeing his conflicted expression, Yaoyorozu Momo covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "I never thought I'd see the day Shina-kun looked troubled."
"You're not forming a team, Momo?" Etsuha asked curiously.
She shook her head. "My Quirk is better suited for support. In a situation like this, teaming up doesn't benefit me much. And honestly… running isn't my strength."
"I see."
Etsuha nodded in understanding. Momo's Quirk required time and resources—this kind of fast-paced competition put her at a disadvantage. Large creations took time, while smaller ones wouldn't make much difference here. It made sense she chose to go solo.
As they talked, Aizawa Shouta stepped forward and raised his voice.
"Preparation time is over. Return to your lanes!"
The atmosphere instantly tightened.
Everyone stood ready, eyes fixed ahead.
"On your marks…"
"Bang!"
With the gunshot, the race began—and in that very instant, the surrounding temperature spiked dramatically.