Obstacle Course
"TODOROKI TSUBAKI MAINTAINS HIS LEAD!" Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium as the massive screens showed the white-haired student racing forward on his ice path. "BUT BAKUGO AND TODOROKI SHOTO ARE RIGHT ON HIS HEELS!"
Tsubaki's blue eyes were fixed ahead, his breathing controlled despite the continuous quirk usage. His ice formed and reformed beneath him in fluid motions, each crystalline platform perfectly angled to maximize his momentum.
Behind him, explosions erupted as Bakugo blasted forward with raw fury.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU BASTARD!" Bakugo roared, his palms crackling with power. "FIRST PLACE IS MINE!"
Shoto ran across his own ice path, his right side completely frosted over. His heterochromatic eyes were locked on his brother's back. 'He's faster. But this race isn't over yet.'
"THE TOP THREE FROM CLASS 1-A!" Present Mic shouted. "THEY'RE APPROACHING THE SECOND OBSTACLE! THE FALL!"
Ahead, the course dropped away into a massive chasm. Dozens of platforms jutted out at various heights and distances—some stable, some deliberately unstable, all designed to test the students' quirks and mobility.Ropes stretched across the gap at irregular intervals, swaying in the wind.
"This obstacle requires either flight, exceptional jumping ability, or creative quirk usage!" Present Mic explained for those watching at home. "One wrong move leads to a long fall!"
Tsubaki didn't hesitate. As he approached the edge, his ice erupted forward—not a ramp this time, but a bridge. Crystalline pillars shot down from his path, anchoring themselves to the platforms below, while the surface he ran on extended across the chasm in a solid, gleaming span.
"INCREDIBLE!" Present Mic screamed. "TODOROKI TSUBAKI IS BUILDING A BRIDGE! JUST CREATING A PATH ACROSS!"
The crowd roared, cameras flashing as they captured the impressive display.
In the teachers' box, the faculty leaned forward.
"That's excellent structural thinking," Cementoss observed, his gravelly voice appreciative. "He's using the platforms as anchor points while maintaining forward momentum."
"His control is remarkable for a first-year," Vlad King added. "Most ice users his age would struggle to maintain that kind of construction while moving at speed."
All Might's skeletal form was tense. 'He's strong, but Young Midoriya needs to show what he can do...'
Tsubaki reached the middle of his bridge, and then—
The ice shattered.
Not the section he was on, but the bridge behind him. His cryokinesis broke down the structure he'd just created, sending massive chunks of ice plummeting into the chasm. The bridge collapsed in his wake, leaving nothing for those following.
"HE DESTROYED HIS OWN BRIDGE!" Present Mic shouted, his voice cracking with excitement. "TODOROKI TSUBAKI ISN'T JUST BUILDING A PATH—HE'S MAKING SURE NO ONE CAN FOLLOW!"
"Smart," came Aizawa's dry voice through the speakers from the commentary booth. "Efficient use of resources and tactical thinking."
"Bastard!" Bakugo snarled, forced to change direction mid-flight. He blasted toward one of the stone platforms, landing hard, then immediately launching himself toward the next with another explosion.
Shoto's eyes narrowed as he watched ice chunks fall past him. 'He's not just racing—he's actively preventing us from keeping up.'
As Shoto reached the chasm, he took a different approach. Ice formed beneath his feet as he ran toward one of the taut ropes stretching across the gap. The moment his foot touched the rope, he froze it solid, creating a stable surface. He skated across the frozen rope with practiced balance, his ice spreading ahead of him to the next rope, then the next, creating an impromptu ice path across the chasm using the existing infrastructure.
"TODOROKI SHOTO WITH A DIFFERENT STRATEGY!" Present Mic announced. "USING THE ROPES AS A FOUNDATION FOR HIS ICE! CREATIVE THINKING!"
As Shoto passed each rope, he shattered the ice behind him, sending frozen chunks falling and making the ropes swing wildly for anyone following.
Further Back in the Pack
Yaoyorozu reached the chasm and immediately assessed the situation. "The bridge is gone, and the ropes are unstable." Her mind raced through possibilities. "I need to create something..."
She focused, and a grappling hook with a sturdy rope materialized from her arm. She fired it toward a stable platform, testing the weight, then swung across.
"YAOYOROZU MOMO WITH THE TACTICAL APPROACH!" Present Mic called out. "USING HER CREATION QUIRK TO NAVIGATE!"
Iida reached the edge next, his engines roaring. He eyed the platforms and distances. "I can balance on the ropes Todoroki didn't break!" He launched himself forward, his speed and the powerful thrust from his engines carrying him from platform to platform. His arms extended in his characteristic T-pose for balance as he landed and moved to the next platform, looking somewhat ridiculous but undeniably effective.
"IIDA TENYA SHOWING EXCELLENT SPEED CONTROL!" Present Mic continued. "THAT ENGINE QUIRK IS NO JOKE!"
"He looks weird though," Aizawa added flatly.
"But it's working!" Present Mic defended.
Uraraka touched herself, reducing her own gravity, then pushed off gently. She floated across the chasm, using the ropes to pull herself along. "This is actually kind of fun!" she called out, though her face was tense with concentration.
"So many different approaches!" Present Mic marveled. "This is what makes the Sports Festival so exciting! Every student finding their own path!"
Monoma reached the chasm and cursed. "Those Class 1-A show-offs with their fancy ice tricks!" He looked around frantically for a solution.
"Stop complaining and move!" Kendo shouted, her hands already enlarged. She grabbed Monoma and another nearby student, then throw them to the next platform.
"I had a plan!" Monoma protested as they landed.
"Your plan was complaining," Kendo shot back.
Behind them, other Class 1-B students worked together. Some with enhanced strength jumped directly, others with manipulation quirks used the environment creatively.
"CLASS 1-B SHOWING STRONG TEAMWORK!" Present Mic announced. "DON'T COUNT THEM OUT!"
Shinso reached the chasm and cursed under his breath. His quirk was powerful but useless for mobility. He grabbed one of the swinging ropes and began climbing hand over hand, his muscles straining.
'This is exactly why they said my quirk wasn't suited for heroics,' he thought bitterly, watching students with flashier abilities soar past him. 'But I won't give up. I'll prove them wrong.'
A girl from general studies with a telekinesis quirk floated past him, her expression apologetic but determined. Another student with a mutation quirk that gave him adhesive fingers climbed across the chasm walls like a spider.
"GENERAL STUDIES STUDENTS SHOWING DETERMINATION!" Present Mic called out. "IT'S NOT ABOUT THE FLASHINESS OF YOUR QUIRK—IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU USE IT!"
The Pro Heroes' Section
Endeavor leaned forward in his seat, his flames crackling intensely around his shoulders. His turquoise eyes tracked both his sons—the white-haired one in first, the red-and-white one in close pursuit.
'Both of them trying to prove something,' he thought, his jaw tight. 'Shoto refusing to use my flames, trying to win with just ice. And Tsubaki...' His flames burned hotter. 'This childish rebellion. Refusing to accept reality, trying to prove he's something he's not.'
But even as the thought formed, he couldn't look away from the screen showing Tsubaki's lead. The boy was fast, efficient, clearly well-trained.
'It doesn't matter,' Endeavor told himself firmly. 'Shoto will overtake him. Shoto has my power—he's my masterpiece. The other one is just delaying the inevitable.'
Yet his flames continued to crackle with intensity as he watched.
Nearby, other pros leaned forward with interest.
"That white-haired kid is impressive," a hero muttered. "Building and destroying that bridge while maintaining speed."
"Both of Endeavor's sons are strong," another agreed. "But the explosive blonde is keeping pace too. This year's first-years are something else."
In the Crowd
"Did you see that bridge?!" someone shouted excitedly.
"The way he just destroyed it behind him—that's ruthless!"
"Which one is that? The one with white hair?"
"Yeah! The one who made that speech about winning!"
"Is he really going to win the whole thing?"
"At this rate, maybe! But the one with red and white hair is catching up!"
Parents and civilians watched with awe and excitement, the drama of the race exceeding expectations.
"AND NOW THE FINAL OBSTACLE!" Present Mic announced as the leaders approached an open field. "THE MINEFIELD!"
The ground ahead was marked with countless small pink markers, each indicating a buried mine. The explosives weren't powerful enough to seriously injure, but they'd blast anyone who triggered them sky-high and cost precious time.
"STUDENTS MUST NAVIGATE CAREFULLY OR RISK BEING BLOWN OFF COURSE!" Present Mic continued. "THIS IS WHERE STRATEGY MATTERS MORE THAN SPEED!"
Tsubaki reached the field first, his eyes rapidly scanning the mine positions. His ice path descended, bringing him to ground level. The moment his feet touched solid earth, his quirk shifted—ice spreading beneath him like a skating rink, reducing friction to nearly nothing. He glided forward with increasing speed, his path weaving between the mine markers with precision born from weeks of intensive training.
Behind him, Shoto and Bakugo burst into the clearing nearly simultaneously.
"I'M NOT LETTING YOU WIN!" Bakugo roared, blasting forward with controlled bursts that carried him just above the mine triggers.
Shoto's approach was more grounded—ice formed beneath him as he skated across the field, his path diverging from Tsubaki's.
But as Tsubaki glided forward, Shoto sent ice spikes shooting sideways into the ground, deliberately triggering mines in Tsubaki's path.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Pink explosions erupted, sending dirt and debris flying.
"TODOROKI SHOTO WITH THE AGGRESSIVE PLAY!" Present Mic shouted. "HE'S TRIGGERING MINES TO DISRUPT HIS BROTHER'S PATH!"
Tsubaki's eyes narrowed. As he adjusted his route, his ice shot forward in sharp spikes, stabbing into the ground and detonating mines directly ahead of Shoto's path.
"TODOROKI TSUBAKI RESPONDS IN KIND!" Present Mic's voice was nearly drowned out by explosions. "THE BROTHERS ARE SABOTAGING EACH OTHER!"
"Stop ignoring me, you icy bastards!" Bakugo screamed, launching explosive blasts that deliberately triggered mines between both brothers. His explosions were precise, controlled—each one perfectly placed to maximize disruption while maintaining his own forward momentum. "I'M RIGHT HERE!"
The minefield became a warzone. All three students were using their quirks not just to advance but to actively impede each other. Ice blocked paths. Explosions forced course changes. Mines detonated in chains.
The crowd was on their feet, screaming with excitement.
"THIS IS INSANE!" Present Mic shouted. "ALL THREE ARE SO FOCUSED ON EACH OTHER THEY'RE TURNING THIS INTO AN ALL-OUT BATTLE!"
"They're wasting energy," Aizawa noted from his position beside Present Mic, his bandaged form somehow conveying disapproval despite his injuries. "They should just focus on the race."
"But this is more EXCITING!" Present Mic countered, his voice reaching new levels of enthusiasm.
In the Teachers' Box
Nezu's dark eyes gleamed with interest. "Fascinating. They're so competitive they've forgotten this is a race, not a combat trial."
"The explosive boy—Bakugo—his control is exceptional," Vlad King observed. "Those blasts look wild but they're extremely precise."
All Might's skeletal hands clenched on his seat. 'Young Midoriya, where are you? You need to catch up...'
'Shoto's adapting quickly,' Tsubaki thought as he dodged another triggered mine, ice carrying him smoothly around the blast radius. 'And Bakugo's explosions are more controlled than they appear—every blast serves a purpose.'
His ice path wove through the chaos, each movement deliberate. He needed to maintain his lead while managing his stamina for whatever came next.
'I need to—'
Something caught his attention. A sound. Different from the explosions. Louder.
His eyes widened.
A bit earlier
Further back in the pack, Midoriya had stopped at the edge of the minefield. His green eyes analyzed the situation, watching the three leaders sabotaging each other, destroying potential paths.
'They're so focused on each other,' he realized. 'They're not thinking about anyone else catching up.'
He looked down at the metal plate he'd been carrying—salvaged from one of the destroyed robots at the first obstacle. Then at the minefield, at the strategic positioning of the mines.
An idea formed. Crazy. Dangerous. Possibly stupid.
'All Might said to win,' Midoriya thought, his fists clenching. 'He believes I can do this. I need to believe it too.'
He moved to a section of the minefield with dense mine placement. Using the robot piece, he quickly dug into the ground, exposing several mines and carefully repositioning them closer together. Other students approaching the minefield watched in confusion as he worked frantically.
"What is that kid doing?" someone muttered.
Midoriya positioned his metal plate over the cluster of mines he'd gathered and adjusted.
Then he jumped on it.
BOOOOOOOOOM!
The explosion was MASSIVE—far larger than any individual mine detonation. The concentrated blast of multiple mines combined with the metal plate acting as a focus created an eruption that shook the ground.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Present Mic's voice cracked with shock. "THAT EXPLOSION WAS HUGE!"
"He clustered the mines together," Aizawa explained, his voice cutting through the surprise with analytical clarity. "Used multiple detonations simultaneously with the metal plate to amplify and direct the blast."
"WHATEVER THE CASE, LOOK!" Present Mic screamed. "MIDORIYA IZUKU IS AIRBORNE! HE'S CATCHING UP TO THE TOP THREE!"
The crowd erupted. The pro heroes stood. Even the teachers looked shocked.
In the teachers' box, All Might's skeletal form was trembling. 'Young Midoriya! That's—that's incredible thinking!'
"That boy just turned a mobility obstacle into a launch pad," Nezu said, his paws clasped together with delight. "Magnificent problem-solving!"
Midoriya soared over the minefield, over the sabotaging leaders, over everything. The wind whipped past him as he flew, his arc carrying him directly toward first place.
Tsubaki's head snapped up as a shadow passed overhead. His blue eyes tracked Midoriya's flight path, saw him soaring toward first place.
'No.'
He reacted instantly. His ice erupted beneath him, creating a sharp upward ramp that launched him higher. His body shot into the air as he pushed his quirk harder, ice platforms forming ahead of him to maintain his trajectory and speed.
"TODOROKI TSUBAKI RESPONDS!" Present Mic screamed. "HE'S NOT LETTING MIDORIYA TAKE THE LEAD!"
Shoto saw his brother's sudden acceleration and understood immediately. His ice exploded beneath him, creating a steep ramp that propelled him forward with desperate speed.
"TODOROKI SHOTO JOINS THE CHASE!"
Bakugo looked up, saw Midoriya in the air, and his expression twisted with absolute fury.
"DEKU?! DEKU IS BEATING ME?! LIKE HELL!"
His explosions became massive, controlled detonations that sent him rocketing forward with explosive speed, each blast precisely timed and angled.
"BAKUGO KATSUKI REFUSING TO BE LEFT BEHIND! ALL FOUR ARE CONVERGING!"
But Midoriya was beginning to fall, his arc descending. He spotted another mine cluster ahead and angled his body, the metal plate still in his grip.
BOOM!
He hit another mine with the plate, using the explosion to boost him foward continuing his momentum.
"MIDORIYA WITH ANOTHER EXPLOSION!" Present Mic shouted. "HE'S USING THE MINES TO CONTROL HIS FLIGHT!"
The four of them—Midoriya falling in controlled bursts, Tsubaki on his ice , Shoto on his own path, Bakugo propelled by explosions—all converged on the tunnel entrance.
The final stretch: a tunnel leading to the finish line, visible just beyond.
The crowd was screaming. The sound was deafening, overwhelming, a physical force that seemed to shake the very air.
One hundred meters to the tunnel.
"THIS IS IT!" Present Mic's voice was barely audible over the noise. "FOUR STUDENTS! ALL GIVING EVERYTHING THEY HAVE!"
Tsubaki's eyes blazed with determination. Ice formed and reformed beneath him—every technique refined through brutal training, all culminating in this moment.
'I have to win.'
Fifty meters.
Midoriya stretched out his hand, his face set with absolute determination. His metal plate discarded now, he was simply running, his legs pumping with everything he had as he hit the ground.
Shoto's ice erupted in a final desperate burst of speed, his heterochromatic eyes locked on the tunnel entrance.
Bakugo's explosions became one continuous roar of power, his face twisted in fierce determination.
Twenty meters to the tunnel entrance.
The tunnel itself was narrow—designed to force students into single file, eliminating the possibility of crossing the finish line simultaneously.
Four students. One tunnel. One winner.
Ten meters.
Time seemed to slow. Every camera focused on the tunnel entrance. Every eye in the stadium locked on that single point.
Five meters.
Tsubaki pushed forward with everything he had.
Shoto's ice carried him with desperate speed.
Bakugo's explosions propelled him like a missile.
Midoriya ran with every ounce of strength in his body.
Three meters.
Two meters.
One—
The four of them hit the tunnel entrance in a blur of ice, explosions, and desperate momentum, disappearing into the darkness.
The massive screens switched to the interior tunnel view, showing the four racing through the narrow passage toward the distant light—the finish line.
Present Mic's voice filled the stadium, building tension:
"WHO WILL IT BE?! WHO WILL EMERGE FIRST?!"
The four shapes in the tunnel were indistinct, too close together to clearly identify. The crowd held its breath.
The light at the tunnel's end grew closer.
Closer.
CLOSER.
And then—a figure burst out into the light, crossing the finish line.
"AND THE WINNER IS..."
To Be Continued...
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Author's note :
Hope you enjoyed the chapter and if you did drop some power stones.
The next part of the Sports festival is coming up so suggest who you think Tsubaki's teammates should be.