Ace dodged swiftly to the right, raising his forearm just in time to block a heavy punch from Kendo. He could feel the power behind it as it connected, but he pushed off, using the momentum to jump back, narrowly avoiding another attack from Sen, who was already coming at him. Their coordination had become sharp, and he noticed how well they were starting to flow together in their attacks.

They were getting better—much better. Each of them had improved not only individually but in their teamwork, closing the gaps in their strikes and covering for each other. Where Ace had once easily slipped through their offenses, now he was finding it harder to read their next moves. The rhythm of the fight was tightening, and he could feel the pressure increasing as they adapted.

In the next split second, Ace saw the setup. It was a combination strike—Monoma and Kendo, working in tandem. Monoma had copied Kendo's quirk, and now two heavy punches were coming his way, faster and stronger than before. He braced himself, putting up his guard as both attacks connected, the force sending him sliding back a few feet before he managed to plant his feet and come to a halt.

Breathing hard, he took a moment to assess. They had been going at it for hours, a relentless many-on-one sparring session that had pushed Ace to his limits. His body was on fire—not from his powers, but from the sheer intensity of the training. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he gave a small, satisfied grin.

"You're getting better all the time," Ace said, his voice tinged with exhaustion but also with genuine admiration. "I think we're gonna have a real chance to show up Class 1-A. They better not underestimate the power of Class 1-B."

The camaraderie between him and his classmates had grown with every punch, every dodge, every burst of fire he'd thrown at them—and they'd thrown right back. They weren't just getting stronger. They were becoming a team. And Ace felt that bond solidifying, understanding more than ever why they fought so hard—not just for themselves, but for each other.

"Nice work! I can feel it—you're going to be ready for the sports festival for sure," Ace declared, his usual charismatic grin lighting up his face. "Together, we're gonna kick some butt."

His energy was infectious, and despite the exhaustion of their training, the others couldn't help but be encouraged. Ace had a way of lifting spirits, of making the challenge ahead feel not just possible, but exciting. They were all ready to show Class 1-A what Class 1-B was made of, and with Ace leading the charge, they had no doubt they'd make an impact.

Monoma smirked, his usual cocky attitude shining through. "Of course, Ace! With you on our side, Class 1-A won't know what hit them. We'll finally show them that they're not the only ones worthy of the spotlight!"

Kendo nodded, a determined look in her eyes. "We've come a long way, and I'm proud of how much we've all improved. Let's keep pushing forward and give it everything we've got." She gave Ace a quick thumbs up, her giant hands still partially enlarged from their sparring session.

Sen Kaibara, always calm and composed, added with a slight grin, "Yeah, we're in good shape. But we can't let up now. The real test is right around the corner."

Reiko Yanagi, quiet as always, gave a small nod, her ghostly demeanor contrasting with her intense focus. "Let's make them regret ever underestimating us," she said in her usual eerie tone, her words laced with quiet confidence.

"Hey guys, let's go get some lunch after such a long workout. I'm sure it will do us all some good," Ace called out to the others. He already knew that to build on hard work eating was a key to getting stronger.

Kendo stretched her arms with a smile. "I'm in! After that workout, I could really use a good meal. Plus, we'll need the energy for tomorrow's training."

Monoma adjusted his collar, still carrying his usual smugness. "A meal to celebrate how far we've come? I suppose I can indulge. But don't think I'll let my guard down! We've got to keep sharp."

Sen Kaibara chuckled lightly, rolling his shoulder. "Sounds good to me, Ace. I could eat."

Reiko, her expression still as neutral as ever, nodded quietly. "Food will help us recover faster. Let's go."Reiko on the outside showed a calmness to herself, but if one were to look or know her well, you could tell that she was just as driven as the others.

The group work their way to the school cafeteria, each of them getting their food of choice. Ace with the most food as normal as he was going to do his best this time to not fall asleep in the middle of his meal as per usual.

"So, what's the plan for the obstacle course?" Kendo asked, glancing at the others. "We need to strategize, right?"

Monoma leaned back, a smirk on his face. "I've been keeping an eye on the quirks of Class 1-A. We can definitely outmaneuver them if we play it smart. They think they're invincible, but they don't know what we've been preparing."

"Yeah," Sen added, "if we keep working together like we've been doing, we can dominate the group events. No one's gonna see us coming."

Ace grinned, leaning forward with his usual fiery enthusiasm. "That's what I'm talkin' about! We've got power, we've got teamwork, and we've got the heart to back it up. It's not just about beating Class 1-A—it's about showing the world what we're made of."

Reiko, quiet as ever, simply nodded. "We're ready."

Kendo laughed, nudging Ace playfully. "You're always so fired up, Ace. But I think you're right. If we keep pushing ourselves like this, Class 1-B will definitely make a statement."

They continued to talk and joke between bites of food, the weight of the upcoming sports festival sitting in the back of their minds, but the camaraderie between them only growing stronger. They knew that together; they could surprise everyone.

As the group chatted and enjoyed their meal, a notification buzzed on Ace's phone. He glanced at it quickly and saw a message from the school.

"Message for Portgas D. Ace: Please report to the R department immediately regarding your hero costume."

Ace blinked and then smirked, pushing his chair back. "Looks like I gotta hit the R department. Guess they noticed I'm running around without a proper hero costume."

Kendo looked up with a raised brow. "About time! You've been getting by with just your regular clothes in training. A real costume will give you an edge for sure."

Monoma, never missing an opportunity to jab, grinned. "Better late than never, I suppose. Don't worry, Ace—we'll keep 1-A from stealing your thunder while you're gone."

Ace laughed, standing up from the table. "I'll catch you guys later. Don't eat too much; I want you all ready for more training after this."

With that, he waved them off and headed towards the R department, eager to see what kind of hero costume they had in store for him.

Ace walked into the R department, looking around at the organized chaos of machinery, gadgets, and blueprints scattered across the workstations. The moment he stepped further inside, he was met by a burst of energy as Mei Hatsume appeared right in front of him, grinning from ear to ear.

"You're Ace, right? Portgas D. Ace! Oh, this is going to be so exciting!" Mei said, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm as she circled him, clearly sizing him up for whatever invention was running through her mind. "I've been waiting to get my hands on someone like you! The potential for babies with your powers is endless!"

Ace blinked, a little taken aback by her energy but couldn't help grinning back. "Uh, yeah, that's me. So, you're the one in charge of whipping up hero costumes, right?"

Mei nodded vigorously. "Exactly! And let me tell you, the moment I heard about your ability, I started sketching out all kinds of ideas. Fire-based abilities? Oh, the possibilities are amazing! I've got so many support items I can integrate into your costume. I promise, by the time I'm done, you'll be unstoppable!"

Ace chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Unstoppable, huh? Sounds like my style. But I like to keep things simple, you know. I don't need too many bells and whistles. Just something that works with my flames."

Mei wasn't deterred by his request for simplicity. "Simple but efficient! Don't worry, I've got it all figured out. We'll keep it sleek, flame-resistant, and stylish, but I'm also adding a few extra surprises that you won't even notice until you need them! Oh, this is going to be amazing!"

Before Ace could say anything else, Mei was already off, scribbling away on her tablet and muttering to herself about "flame propulsion" and "heat diffusion systems."

He grinned, watching her go to work, knowing that whatever she came up with, it was sure to be something wild.

"Miss, you must understand. I don't need any of that heat resistance; it doesn't bother me. I don't actually think I have a Quirk. My power isn't heat-related. It is fire. I am fire. Toss that rock at me as hard as you can, and you'll see."

Mei's eyes widened with excitement, her grin growing even larger. "Really?!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing with enthusiasm. "This is amazing! I've never seen anything like that! You're a living fire! Oh, the possibilities!" She quickly grabbed a nearby rock, her hands shaking slightly with eagerness, and hurled it at Ace with all her strength, her eyes glued to him, ready to witness the results of her experiment.

The rock went right through him, as if it was nothing. The small area where it hit just turned into flames and reformed quickly back together. In the end, he was left untouched by the damage of the rock. "See it's not a quart so I have no issue with any heat issues or anything. I can literally turn my whole entire body into a flame constantly ongoing endlessly. However, I also have a weakness, one pretty large."

Nervous saying, admitting it out loud, they move closer to the pink haired inventor. "Whenever I come in contact with water and weakens me, and if I were to say to jump into river, I would think like a rock and die."

Mei's eyes widened further, her fascination only deepening as she watched the rock pass through Ace, his body reforming seamlessly. "Incredible..." she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. She was utterly captivated by the display, studying every detail with an almost scientific zeal. The mention of Ace's vulnerability, however, brought her back into the moment.

"So you're basically unstoppable—except when it comes to water!" she said, her grin returning, but with a more thoughtful edge. She placed a finger to her lips, already thinking of possible inventions to address his weakness. "That's fascinating! But don't worry, I've got a few ideas that might help mitigate that water problem. Imagine! A hero suit that could protect against your only weakness! We could make you invincible!"

Without missing a beat, Mei leaned in closer, eyes gleaming. "Oh, the things we could build together!"

Ace instinctively placed his hand on the engine, allowing his flames to flow into it. The fire swirled within the machinery, powering it up almost instantly. As the engine roared to life, Ace grinned, a memory flickering through his mind—something about using his flames to fuel a wave rider back in the day, though the details were hazy.

The familiar sensation of controlling an engine with his fire brought a sense of nostalgia, like he'd done this many times before. The engine, securely locked in place, responded smoothly to his power, and Ace could feel the rush of energy flowing through the machine.

Mei's eyes lit up even more, if that was even possible. "Whoa! You can power machines directly with your fire? This is amazing!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing in excitement. "You're like a walking, talking energy source! Oh, the possibilities!"

Ace furrowed his brow, trying to piece together the memory as he spoke. "It wasn't just any boat or board... it was like this wave rider, something I used to sail across the ocean. My flames would power the turbine, making it go faster than normal. I remember the feeling—the heat propelling me across the water at insane speeds, almost like I was flying over the waves." His eyes flickered with the intensity of the recollection.

He paused, still grasping at the memory. "The fire wasn't just for propulsion; it became a part of the machine, driving it forward, faster and faster. It felt...natural, like the flames and the rider were made for each other. I could travel across the sea in no time. But everything's still kinda blurry."

Mei, barely containing her excitement, was scribbling furiously on a notepad. "A flame-powered wave rider? This is incredible! You're giving me so many ideas! I bet we could recreate it here, but with even better tech—faster, more efficient. You might just be the key to creating something truly groundbreaking!"

Ace chuckled lightly, still lost in thought. "Maybe... it feels like a part of me, like something I used to rely on a lot."

By the end of the day, Ace found himself exiting the R department, slightly bewildered but undeniably amused. Despite Mei Hatsume's infectious enthusiasm and her countless ideas, he still walked out without a hero costume. Mei had become so engrossed in brainstorming new inventions and enhancements that she completely lost track of their original goal.

As he made his way down the hallway, Ace couldn't help but chuckle to himself. "I guess I'll just have to make do without one for now," he mused. The thought of facing the sports festival without a proper hero outfit was daunting, but he felt a spark of determination. He could rely on his abilities and creativity, even if it meant stepping into the arena without the usual gear.

"Next time, maybe I'll bring a checklist," he joked under his breath, recalling how Mei had been bouncing from one idea to another, her excitement palpable. He appreciated her passion, but he hoped he could get a costume sorted out before the big day. With that thought in mind, he set his sights on the cafeteria, ready to join his classmates and refuel after a long day of training and inspiration.