The stadium roared like a living beast, thousands of voices thundering down from the stands. Flags snapped in the air, camera drones whirred overhead, and the ground itself seemed to vibrate beneath the anticipation of U.A.’s annual Sports Festival Tournament.

Class 1-A stood lined up in uniform, waiting at the edge of the arena. The sunlight caught on their gear and faces—some buzzing with confidence, others trembling with nerves. Kaminari tried (and failed) to crack jokes to calm himself. Kirishima stretched his arms, hyping himself up with muttered encouragement. Todoroki stood silent, gaze forward, unreadable. And Bakugou—Bakugou was grinning like a predator, palms already sparking with tiny explosions.

You stood among them, but not quite with them. A few glanced your way, but most ignored you, too caught up in their own excitement. To them, you were still the unknown, a transfer dropped into their ranks just in time for the biggest event of the year.

Midnight’s voice boomed over the microphone, sultry and sharp all at once. “WELCOME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO THE U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL! The heroes-in-training will push past their limits in front of all of YOU—the world watching!”

The crowd exploded again, and Present Mic’s voice joined hers, rattling the glass. “That’s right! One-on-one battles, survival rounds, obstacle courses—you name it, folks, this is the real deal! And this year, we’ve got a SURPRISE CONTENDER! A new face in Class 1-A!”

All eyes turned your way. The students blinked, some whispering, some narrowing their eyes. You felt Bakugou’s glare burn into your side, heard Kaminari mutter “No way they’re stronger than me…” under his breath, and caught Kirishima flashing you a grin of encouragement.

The massive monitors above flickered to life, the tournament roster scrolling. Your name appeared alongside the others, slotted into the chaos. The first event—the obstacle course—was about to begin.

Midnight raised her whip high, her voice carrying like thunder. “Contestants, take your positions!”

The arena floor shifted, stone grinding as massive gates began to rise. Behind them, the course revealed itself—spikes, trenches, robots, ice fields, even a collapsing bridge—everything designed to test the very limits of a hero.

The students stepped forward. Bakugou cracked his knuckles, snarling. “Tch, doesn’t matter who you are. I’m still taking first place.” Todoroki’s gaze lingered on the course, his voice cold. “We’ll see.” Kaminari shouted, trying to hype himself up: “Easy win, baby, just gotta stay alive!”

And there you were, standing at the start line with the rest of them, the roar of the stadium surrounding you. No one quite knew what you could do. Some didn’t care. Some doubted. A few were curious.

But by the end of the day, they would all know your name.

The buzzer shrieked.

And the race began.