Chapter 102: A Race Ended
Shoto, who recovered the fastest, froze the ground beneath his feet in an instant. The ice spread rapidly across the track, a shimmering sheet of frost that crackled under the stadium lights. He muttered under his breath, teeth clenched against the biting cold:
—Shit, how cold is this!
A support course student nearby shouted in alarm:
—Look, he froze the track!
Before anyone could react further or finish their complaints, Bakugou's voice exploded through the chaos. He detonated a blast that shattered the ice in front of him, shards flying outward like glass.
—Get out of the way, extras! I don't have time to waste on you. I'm not losing again!
With a roar of propulsion from his palms, he launched himself forward, explosions propelling him through the air like a missile aimed straight at Shoto.
Izuku, seeing the opening, activated two percent of One For All. Green lightning crackled along his limbs as he surged forward, legs pumping with controlled power. Izuku thought:
—Thanks to the training at Aoi's house, I can use two percent now. But this still won't be enough to beat them. I told All Might I have to show that I'm here.
Uraraka, watching the scene unfold, pressed her fingertips together and released her quirk on a section of the frozen track. The ice shattered under her touch as she floated forward, determination in her eyes.
—I'm not losing either!
She then dashed after them, the three of them racing toward the finish line in a blur of motion and quirk energy.
Present Mic's voice boomed over the speakers, narrating with his usual explosive enthusiasm:
—What is this?! After the student took first place with his surprising speed, the other students started reacting! The competition is still heating up, folks! What do you have to say, Aizawa?
Aizawa, arms crossed, spoke in his usual deadpan tone:
—He has a big challenge ahead if he wants to win first place.
At that moment, Shoto—who was still running—saw a giant robot rise up in front of him, its massive frame blocking the path like a steel wall. Without hesitation, he leaped to the side to dodge the swinging arm and froze the robot's legs solid with a burst of ice. The metal groaned under the strain as frost climbed higher.
Shoto then ran quickly past it and thought:
—I don't need to defeat it. I just need to delay its movement until I can escape.
Bakugou, who was flying behind Shoto, saw the robot swing its giant arm toward him. He grinned fiercely.
—Die!
He unleashed a concentrated explosion directly into the arm, the blast tearing through metal and sending the limb crashing to the ground in a shower of sparks and debris.
Izuku, who was right behind, jumped quickly to the side to dodge the falling wreckage. Izuku saw Bakugou flying ahead toward Shoto and thought:
—It looks like the training also made Kacchan's power much stronger. But I'm not giving up here. All Might is counting on me.
He then ran toward them, pushing his body to its limits.
Shoto, who finally reached the ravine, positioned himself on the rope and began crossing. The thin cable swayed under his weight, but he moved with careful precision, balancing as the wind tugged at his clothes. Shoto sighed and said:
—Brother, you're a monster. How did you manage to do all this at that speed?
Bakugou, seeing Shoto crossing, shouted:
—No way I'm letting you beat me, Half-and-Half!
He then accelerated toward him with a series of explosions, the two of them now racing across the rope side by side.
Izuku arrived right behind them and grabbed the rope, hanging on as he began to drag himself across. The coarse fibers bit into his palms, but he gritted his teeth and kept moving.
Hatsume Mei, grinning wildly from further back, said:
—Well, now it's time for my babies to shine. Let's go, baby!
She activated her jetpack-like gear and shot forward over the rope, overtaking Izuku in a burst of speed and mechanical whirring.
Bakugou and Shoto had already reached the last obstacle. Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium:
—Welcome to the final challenge! One look is enough and you can see where the mines are. Good luck, competitors!
Shoto muttered:
—Damn it. I bet my brother passed quickly without stepping on the ground, that's why he didn't trigger any. Damn it, I can't walk fast or I might detonate them.
Bakugou, jumping with controlled explosions to avoid the ground entirely, said:
—That's no problem for me at all. I said I won't lose again!
He then blasted forward again.
When they were getting close to the finish line, they looked back and saw the other competitors arriving, mines exploding in bright flashes behind them. They then accelerated even faster.
Shoto said:
—Sorry, Bakugou, but I'm going to win.
Bakugou shouted:
—Only over my dead body, you Half-and-Half!
They then heard a giant explosion behind them. They turned to the side and saw Izuku flying past them. Izuku propelled himself once more with One For All and exploded the mine in front of him. Izuku said:
—I'm going to win!
He then ran toward the tunnel, legs burning with effort.
Present Mic shouted:
—And we have second place with Izuku Midoriya, followed by Bakugou and Shoto Todoroki!
Aoi, smiling at Izuku at the entrance, said:
—Looks like you did it, Izuku.
Izuku, catching his breath, said:
—But it was close.
Bakugou shouted:
—Deku, you damn bastard!
Shoto smiled and said:
—Congratulations, Izuku. You did it.
Izuku smiled and said:
—Thanks, Shoto.
Aoi smiled and said:
—How sad. No one is going to congratulate me on my victory.
Bakugou said:
—Go to hell, you blue-haired pervert!