Review Responses:

SentinelSlice- I don't know if Morgan can actually give people memories, but considering memory sharing isn't exactly a rare thing in Fate (ex: Dream Cycle, the flashback in Heaven's Feel), I figured it was probably something she could achieve somehow with spells. As for what effect Erosion II would have on Shiro, that's a good question. I personally lean on nothing happening since a Reality Marble does still need to be actualized upon reality even if it is a representation of the user's soul.

King-Chris 2426- While stories where Izuku gets techno suits are interesting, that was not the direction I wanted to go with him in this story. And while he is becoming a magus, he's not going to be randomly a master of spellslinging. I'm not going to go much into it since I think this arc will showcase my mindset regarding Izuku's development and the way he'll use his powers.

Thank you to everyone who Favorited, Followed, or Reviewed. Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any Fate works, and they are the properties of their respective creators.

Tournament Uproar III: Hoarfrost Rush

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Morning

Following Midnight's instructions, Katsuki Bakugo made his way up to the small stage in front of U.A.'s first-year class. Turning and looking at the eleven groups of students, the prideful boy held in a scoff.

'Extras, all of them— even Fat Hands and Shitty Hair. And especially… Deku.'

Bakugo had caught Izuku looking at him as he made his way up, an annoyingly defiant stare in the green-haired boy's eyes.

'Damn nerd… a stupid teacher comes to your rescue and you think you're worth something?'

Bakugo, in his typical vengeful self, hadn't forgotten the 'disrespect' he'd been shown on his first day of school. In the cafeteria, he'd seen Izuku heading toward a nearby table and had pounced until Vlad King intervened. He'd then been stuck in detention for several days, although his punishment was lifted early due to the chaos in Nagoya. The further chaos from the U.S.J. had pushed the event to the back of his mind, but seeing Izuku now brought it to the forefront of his thoughts once again.

"Fucking Deku…"

Midnight, hearing the muttering, looked at Bakugo suspiciously, "Bakugo— are you ready?"

The boy said nothing, not even bothering to grab the microphone he'd been offered, "An Athlete's Oath, huh…?"

The boy's expression hardened as he decided on what to say, "I'm going to win. You all are just stepping stones for me to become No.1."

The prideful declaration roused the students below, who began to complain and jeer. But Bakugo paid no heed and began making his way back down, his speech over as soon as it had begun.

Amongst Class 1-A, Mina Ashido grimaced, "Yesh, not much of a speech."

Momo Yaoyorozu, who was standing next to Ashido, nodded in agreement. However, in her heart, she understood where Bakugo was coming from. This festival would be a battlefield, and everyone would be pushing for that first-place title.

Glancing toward Midoriya, who was standing with his classmates in 1-C, the former heiress shook her head slightly, 'I am sorry, Midoriya. I know what is at stake for you in this festival… but I won't be holding back. I made a promise to Rider— and I intend to keep it.'

Intensive Care Unit, U.A. High School
One Day Ago…

"Well, dearie, I'll give you two some time. If you need me, just press that button there."

With a smile, Doctor Chiyo Shuzenji— aka the Youthful Heroine: Recovery Girl— shuffled out of this particular room in U.A.'s ICU. Now alone with her unconscious Servant, Momo Yaoyorozu allowed her emotions to swell forth.

Sniffling, Momo unwrapped the bandage around her left hand, revealing the lone Command Spell that lay beneath. Grabbing hold of Rider's hand, she took both comfort and melancholy from the subtle warmth coming from Astolfo's skin. She had been the one to use a Command Spell to summon Rider to her side that day, and it was a decision that weighed upon her. Having already been sensitive to blaming herself after the death of her parents, the idea that she might be to blame for Rider's condition was harrowing, threatening to shatter her already fragile mental state. Hound Dog had been helping her through it to some degree, but it was difficult for Momo to properly unpack her feelings while keeping the secret of the Holy Grail War intact.

Thankfully, there were other assurances Momo had received. Although their remarks were somewhat grim, both Jiro and Kendo had reminded her that had Rider not risked his life against the League, all three of them might have died that day. Ms. Tohsaka and Mr. Emiya had also helped with their information regarding Rider's opponent. According to them, the Servant Astolfo had faced was one they had encountered in a previous Grail War— Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster. They had explained to her the sheer lethality such a legend was capable of, particularly regarding the usage of his spear, the Gáe Bolg.

'In Celtic Mythology, it was said to ravage the target's body with dozens of barbs. I almost can't believe how terrifying its true power is. To think that even causality is alterable under the laws of a Noble Phantasm…'

According to Ruler, Mr. Emiya's Servant, it was a miracle that Rider had managed to survive, a result of not just her healing magic or the power of Jiro's Saber, but Momo's quick thinking. Had Momo not sacrificed a Command Spell to help stabilize Rider's Spiritual Core, Ruler was certain that Astolfo would not have survived the heart-piercing strike from Gáe Bolg.

Shifting her hand so she could see her remaining Command Spell, Momo could still picture how it had looked back before the attack. Originally, the three marks had formed a shape similar to a fleur-de-lis. Now, both of the side "petals" were gone, leaving only the central "petal" on her hand.

Tearing her eyes from the final order linking her and Rider together, Momo's expression hardened, "Rider… tomorrow is the Sports Festival. I know I've told you about it in my previous visits, and how I was going to try and help Midoriya win… but I've changed my mind."

Momo paused briefly before continuing, "I know that Midoriya is doing this to prove himself to his Servant, but I want to have the opportunity to be selfish. It might be cruel of me… but I will do everything in my power to win the Sports Festival."

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Morning

Momo's recollection was quickly ended, however, by the sound of Midnight's excited voice echoing forth, "Now, let's get the first event started! Unfortunately, we're still in the qualifiers, so we will need to send some of you home crying!"

The R-rated Heroine's blunt delivery of the stakes caused a brief stir in the crowd of students, while the screens around the stadium began to whirl through a variety of different events.

As the wheel of events slowed to a stop, Midnight commentated the result, "And the fateful first event this year is… this! An Obstacle Course!"

As Midnight began explaining the specifics, Momo double-checked her shoes were tied tightly as she reviewed the details mentally, 'A four-kilometer race around the stadium… with preset challenges and the obstacles of my competitors. I'll need to be ready for anything.'

She particularly set her eyes on Todoroki and one of the students she took the recommendation exam with— Honenuki, if she was remembered correctly.

But Momo didn't have any more time to think. Looking up, she saw the light for the gateway out of the stadium had already switched from red to yellow.

'This is it!'

With a resounding shout that was bolstered by the spectators, Midnight swung her whip down as the gates to the obstacle course folded open, "And…. START!"

Stadium Grounds, First-Year Stage
Day 22, Morning

"Man, I'm hungry…"

Walking through the stands set up around the First-Year Stage, Yu Takeyama, better known as Mount Lady, grumbled to herself. As she did so, she glanced sideways toward one of the large monitors showing the events inside.

'They're doing an obstacle course this year, huh? I wonder what sorta obstacles that crazy principal of theirs has thought up. Wish I could watch instead of being stuck here on guard duty.'

In response to worries following the Nagoya Disaster and the U.S.J. Attack, the number of heroes guarding the Sports Festival had increased from past years. Heroes who operated in Mustafu such as Death Arms, Backdraft, and Mount Lady herself had been drafted as guards. When Nezu was asked why Mustafu specifically, he had cited that those heroes were mostly all U.A. alumni, and thus were already familiar with the Sports Festival. Mount Lady, unfortunately, did not fall into this category, having gone to an obscure Heroics & Agriculture school in Hokkaido.

'Stupid Nezu. Not all of us can be proud graduates of U.A., now can we?'

"Ugh, if Shinji were here, I'm sure he'd be able to say some over-serious thing and cheer me up."

Her mind wandering to her memories with her fellow hero, Kamui Woods, Yu let out a melancholic sigh. Shinji Nishiya had been a man that Yu had known since her high school days in Hokkaido, where she and Shinji had ended up in the same class. Of all the boys in her class, he was the only one she couldn't manipulate with her sex appeal. Yet somehow that had led to her having an unusual crush on Shinji, one she had never managed to confess to him about before he died. She had nearly broken down at the funeral, especially after Shinji's mother gave her an unsent letter from him revealing his own unspoken feelings for her.

But right now, her heartbreak was buried deep by tiredness and hunger, 'I just… want… FOOD!'

Seeing a takoyaki stand, Yu's eyes lit up with motivation. Walking up to the clerk, she smiled, "One box of takoyaki, please. And hold the seaweed."

The clerk, a man with a thin mustache, responded with enthusiasm, "Ooh! You're Mount Lady, aren'tcha? One box, no seaweed? That'll be 500 yen."

Mount Lady, realizing she had left her wallet back in the jacket of her civilian clothes, cursed mentally, 'Shit, my wallet. Well, I guess I'll just need to use my best assets…'

Making sure to emphasize her breasts and butt with her movements, Mount Lady played off a shifting pout, "Oh, I'm sorry… I think I've forgotten my wallet…"

The clerk's eyes lit up in lustful excitement, "That's sexy! One box, on… the… house…"

Mount Lady looked at the clerk puzzled. His expression had changed from a wild one to an almost hypnotized one. He still had a blush on his face, but whatever he was focusing on wasn't her. Turning around, Mount Lady decided to see what could have distracted the clerk from her luxurious curves.

'What the… who the…'

Walking down the pathway of stalls was the most beautiful woman Yu had ever seen. She was almost ethereal and alien, with white hair and red eyes that drew the attention of everyone around her. Even though she was dressed in the relatively ordinary outfit of brown boots, a white skirt, and a burgundy sweater, she managed to amplify their synergy in a way Yu was sure no one else could.

'She's like a goddess…'

Starting at Ishtar, Yu forgot about her anger and hunger. Even her lamentations about Kamui Woods were pushed into the back of her mind.

Ishtar, for her part, merely chuckled, seeing the heroine in a purple-and-white skintight bodysuit looking at her with awe.

'That woman with horns on her costume… reminds me of Ninsun. However, such comparisons aren't important right now. I should continue to the stadium. I am running a tad late, after all.'

Shibuya, Tokyo
Day 22, Morning

In the bustling streets of Shibuya, a blue-skinned and lilac-haired woman moved through the crowds of people with purpose.

To most people, she was just another person moving through the city. But to the MLA, she had the appearance of one of their late executives, Chitose Kizuki.

Touching a small communicator, a white-haired MLA agent dialed into Skeptic's communication line, "Sir. We've got a sighting."

Skeptic's voice came from the other end of the line, pleased at the work of one of his favorite subordinates, "Good work, Akaku. Keep an eye on Karture's movements. But if you see any sign you've been detected, you know what to do."

Akaku nodded, thinking about the Trigger-X capsule attached to the inside of his mouth. One twist of his tongue… and the failed Quirk-enhancing drug would tear his body apart. The MLA didn't know the limits of Jester's body-stealing capabilities, but they were hoping that a mangled corpse would be too degraded for him.

Setting his eyes on Jester, Akaku clenched his fist slightly. His wife and son had been two of the MLA Members killed during Jester's initial appearance in Deika City. It was only thanks to his strength of will and lack of a combat-type Quirk he did not rush the vampire here and now.

'What are you planning, you monster? Do you intend to turn Shibuya into a second Nagoya?'

Despite Akaku's suspicions, Jester's goal today was nothing near that level of destruction. Instead, he had but a single target. His new ally, the Phantom of the Opera, had informed him that False Saber would be vulnerable today. The Dead Apostle wasn't sure how the Servant had acquired this information, but that wasn't his concern.

With a grin that nearly betrayed their bloodlust to the crowd, 'Chitose Kizuki' moved in the direction of False Assassin's current location. Soon, everything would be ready, and their hunt for the False Saber of the Holy Grail War could come to a climatic and terrible end.

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Morning

Before the word "Start" had even finished exiting Midnight's lips, the first-year students of U.A. exploded into action. One by one, they dashed into the starting tunnel, eager to claim the crown of victory. Quickly, however, the throngs of students clashed with the narrowness of the tunnel, bringing the runners to an overcrowded halt.

As bodies pushed and shoved around him, Izuku grimaced in discomfort, 'It's too crowded to move… this must have been intentional!'

One student, however, was unbothered. Leaving a freezing trail in his wake, Shoto Todoroki burst out of the tunnel, carving through the sea of bodies like a frozen knife. Soon after the boy's exit was made, the congestion began to slide forward out of the tunnel. Avoiding Todoroki's attempts to freeze them, Yaoyorozu, Bakugo, and Tokoyami were already in hot pursuit, and Ashido, Kendo, and one of 1-B's students, Tsuka Kirisame, weren't far behind either.

Kirisame, a girl with dark orange hair and fox-like ears, was particularly eager to show off today. Although she had been the lowest passing student in the Hero Course's Entrance Exam, weeks of professional and personal training had strengthened her Quirk by leaps and bounds. Unleashing her power, Kirisame manifested two flaming fox tails from her lower back, using them as fiery springboards as she raced closer to Todoroki, "A little frost won't slow me down!"

Back at the gate, Izuku finally managed to pry himself free from the crowd of students, his eyes catching sight of his classmates as he did. To his left was Shinso, riding atop a group of mindjacked 1-D students. To his right, Suzuki and Togeike had already begun to sprint forward. Suzuki in particular was rushing ahead by using his Quirk to run sideways on the walls of the course.

Yet as everyone moved forward, the next phase of the first obstacle was about to make itself known. Izuku wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed it before, but there was now a line of colossal obstacles in everyone's path.

"Holy crap!"

"Aren't those from the Entrance Exam?"

Towering above the students, roughly a dozen green-armored robots the size of whole office buildings. Supported by a legion of smaller robots also taken from the Entrance Exam, it was like a mechanized reimagining of Sun Wukong's battle against the Court of the Heavens.

Over the loudspeakers, Present Mic's voice boomed, "Seems our eager runners have already come face-to-face with the first obstacle! We've brought in a truly titanic challenge. That's right folks, it's the Robo Inferno!"

Todoroki, however, was unbothered as the robotic army set its sights on him, 'The faux villains they used in everyone else's test… they should have prepared something a bit more threatening.'

Muttering, white dust began to exude from Todoroki's body, "Especially… because of who's watching."

In a burst of chilling wind, Todoroki unleashed his Quirk, coating the entire battleground in a winterish cloud. When the air cleared, the scene had been wholly altered— the central group of Zero-Pointers was now partially frozen over, leaving a path for Shoto to quickly skate through. Other students charged forth to take advantage of the gap, but Todoroki wasn't as kind as they hoped. Two students in particular tried to capitalize on the situation, but unfortunately for them, the frozen Zero-Pointers began to fall— right on top of the pair.

As the sound of crunching ice and metal rang out, numerous students cried out in horror. The crowd held its breath, and in front of the wreckage, Ibara Shiozaki contemplated using her vine-like hair to try and help. Before she could act, however, the two students shot out of the wreckage with a cacophony of yells.

"I'M NOT DEAD!"

"GRAAH, I'M ALIVE!"

Reacting to the other's cries, the hard-skinned Kirishima and the metallic-skinned Tetsutetsu turned to each other, "You're the dude from…"

"Class B!"

"Class A!"

Present Mic shouted with relief from the commentator's box, "PHEW! It seems it was Eijiro Kirishima and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu of the Heroics Course! If any student could survive being hit by two falling robots, it would be them!"

Next to him in the box, Eraserhead spoke dryly, "I would like to warn Todoroki that if anyone had died from his maneuver, he'd have more problems than just winning this race."

Meanwhile, students had begun to find their own ways through. Some, like Bakugo, Sero, and Tokoyami, used their Quirks to soar above the Robo Inferno. Others, such as most of Class 1-B, combined their Quirks to forge a path ahead.

But with their practical experience, Class 1-A in particular was leading the charge. With deft acrobatics, Jiro wove through the weaker robots, while Iida used his incredible speed to blitz past everything in his way.

Aizawa gave his calm analysis of the events happening out on the course, "Class 1-A has a key factor that is aiding them well in this race. They know they can't afford to hesitate, even for a second."

Hearing Eraserhead's words, Izuku's mind crackled, 'Forgetting… how to hesitate.'

Continuing his dash forward, the green-haired boy took a deep breath… and closed his eyes. He discarded everything around him— the booming of Yaoyorozu's cannon, the shouts of panicked students, the mechanized voices of the entrance exam robots. In their place, remained only a single mental image— that of a pencil snapping into two halves.

In a burst of emerald-green light, circuits drew themselves onto Izuku's skin. Calling upon the sole magecraft technique he had learned in his training, Reinforcement, Izuku opened his eyes and burst forward with incredible speed.

Seeing her supposedly powerless classmate rocketing away, Chikuchi Togeike's jaw nearly dropped in disbelief, "Midoriya? Did he… have a Quirk after all?"

Shinso, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes from atop his palanquin of mind-controlled students, "Hmmm… interesting."

General Spectator Seating, First-Year Stage
Day 22, Morning

"This is ridiculous… that boy was a weakling with just two weeks of training in magecraft, and he's gotten this skilled with self-reinforcement already? What crazy fae drugs did you give him, Ruler?"

As she sat in the stands alongside Hippolyta, Shiro, and Ruler, Rin Tohsaka gestured to the stadium's massive display in disbelief. In particular, her arm was directed at the top-left image, where Izuku Midoriya's rush forward was currently viewable.

Although specialty magecrafts often surpassed it in difficulty, Reinforcement was considered the hardest of the foundational spells a magus would learn. Although simple in principle, Reinforcement's varied nature made it difficult to master, particularly for someone with fledgling magic circuits. Just how had Izuku, a boy who had only gained his circuits a little over a week ago, gotten to this point so fast?

Shiro, who knew very well the difficulty of trying to learn reinforcement, was similarly confused, "Ruler… Rin is right. What is going on? I knew he aimed to compensate for his lack of training with reinforcement, but even so, this progress… it's even more incredible than what I achieved with resonance."

Morgan smiled, "Ah, from when you encountered your possible future? Nevertheless, allow me to explain. I did not tell you this at Dagobah, but when Caster and I began educating the boy in magecraft… we noticed something quite interesting about his Affinity."

Hippolyta raised an eyebrow, "Affinity… I suppose that is a magus term?"

Rin jumped in to answer Hippolyta's query, "It is. Magi all possess an affinity that guides them to a particular style in their magecraft."

Affinities, as Rin suggested, were a way that a Magus found their path in spellcraft. Very often it reflected their familial history, with clans like the Edelfelt being known for having Affinities of Earth. However, while most magi had Affinities that aligned with the Five Great Elements, there were those whose Affinities fell outside that categorization. Shiro himself was one such example of this, whose Affinity of "Sword" barred him from most types of magecraft, but combined with his Origin into the form of Unlimited Bladeworks, one of the few human-wielded Reality Marbles of the current era.

"I see.. so then what is his Affinity, Ruler?"

The Witch of the British Isles smirked, "Struggle."

Rin furrowed her brow, "Struggle? So it's an abnormal one, is it?"

When it came to abnormal Affinities, things always became tricky. It was one thing to think about the way Air, Fire, Water, Earth, Ether, or a combination of the five might reflect in one's magecraft— it was another to explore abnormal Affinities. What did it mean to resonate with 'Imaginary Numbers', 'Cutting', or 'Rot'? Rin had learned of many odd affinities over the years, but 'Struggle' was certainly on the esoteric end of things.

Rin began to think and quietly murmured as she did so, "Struggle… perhaps an inversion that makes the impossible achievable through effort? Or…?"

Cutting Rin off, Morgan provided her thoughts on the matter, "I have had many interpretations, but I do not believe it necessary for us to fully unpack it. Whatever capabilities Struggle may provide, it is apparent it leans heavily toward self-reinforcement."

Rin looked at the Ruler-class Servant with understanding, "I suppose you are right. Not like my observations can outdo your Fairy Eyes."

Hippolyta, meanwhile, was still looking scrutinizingly at Izuku, "There is something else though. Although he's still incredibly green to fighting, he's grown faster than I would have expected. His musculature is in line with the time we spent, but his movements look more refined than that of a two-week initiate."

Morgan's eyes narrowed slightly, "I may have an answer on that one as well, Rider."

As everyone looked at her expectantly, Morgan elaborated, "When I awakened Midoriya's circuits, I had offered to share the memories of Camelot's warriors with him. He refused… but perhaps he took influence from that idea. He still has access to the Dream Cycle, so perhaps he took the opportunity to observe the movements of some of Japan's storied warriors?"

Shiro realized what Morgan was referring to, "The battles of the Sengoku Period. He observed them to refine his technique."

Morgan smiled as the image switched away, hiding Izuku from their view, 'Struggle… it sounds like a troublesome affinity, but it may end up being exactly the power he needs. Becoming stronger due to hardship being put into the form of magecraft… I'm quite curious to see what he'll show with it.'

"Midoriya… I doubt that his abilities will be able to grow much in the limited time this war provides. But for what time we have, we might just see something we've never seen before."

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Morning

At the edge of a vast chasm, Ochaco Uraraka gulped as she stood next to her classmate, Tsuyu Asui. The second obstacle was a vast pit filled with spires of earth— however, the only path between the spires was a maze of thin metal ropes.

As they and others made it up to the second obstacle (although the leads like Todoroki and Bakugo had already begun to push across), Present Mic's voice boomed from the loudspeakers yet again.

"The Robo Inferno might have not stopped them, but this next obstacle will be a treacherous one! This one was dug out by our very own Cementoss and Power Loader! But the students better move carefully— those metal ropes are the only thing linking the platforms in the pit, and if you fall, you're out! This is… THE FALL!"

As Uraraka pondered what to do, the frog-like Asui was already on the move, "Piece of cake. I've done stuff like this since I was a kid, kero."

But Asui wasn't the only confident one. Cackling nearby, Mei Hatsume of the Support Course was decked out in all sorts of gear. Her classmate Maina Furasu sweatdropped, "You really took advantage of the gear allowance, Hatsume…"

The pink-haired girl grinned, "Of course I did! The Sports Festival is my chance to get my name out there! Hatsume Industries starts here!"

Leaping from the edge of the starting area, Hatsume pressed a button on a mechanical chest harness, causing a cable to shoot out of it. The cable dug into a nearby platform, as Hatsume soared across the void below, "Keep your eyes on me, all you corporations out there! Check out my…"

Landing with a thunk on the platform, Hatsume laughed victoriously, "... adorable babies!"

Seeing Hatsume's forward momentum made Ochaco's mind kick back into gear, 'I need to keep moving. People are catching up!'

Even as Ochaco thought to herself, her competitors were already pushing forward. Honenuki and Awase from 1-B were shimmying across the ropes best they could, while Shiozaki used her vines to carefully move herself across. Sero, Ojiro, and others were taking advantage of their mobility to push forward, often making massive leaps. Even Iida had found a unique way forward, skating across the ropes in a somewhat embarrassing t-pose.

Aizawa's words next dug into Ochaco and the others who had momentarily been held up but overthinking, "Only idiots stop in the face of danger. Slow down, and you'll lose."

Present Mic responded in agreement, "Quite right, Eraserhead! After all, the leaders of the pack are already more than halfway across already!"

Kendo, who was using what small bursts of One For All she could muster, propelled herself from platform to platform. As she progressed, she looked ahead toward her biggest opponents. Todoroki had nearly made it to the other side, and Bakugo wasn't very far behind.

Distracted from her current situation, Itsuka barely noticed the movement to her right, as Iida skated forward into third place, 'Shit! Iida's passed me!'

Adrenaline rushing through her head at the sight of being overtaken, Kendo leaped quickly to the next platform, 'Keep your head in the game, Itsuka— and win this thing!'

Back at the beginning of the second obstacle, students had begun to arrive in droves. One unfortunate girl, however, had an unexpected passenger.

With a frustrated and despondent look on her face, Mina Ashido lumbered forward, "Goddammit… you stupid pervert… get off me!"

Attached to her back, Minoru Mineta cackled, "Hehehe… I'm a genius!"

The pink-skinned girl wanted to melt the grape-haired boy's face right off, but at the same time, she had a race to win. She'd make sure Mineta got what was coming to him in the next event.

But as Mina experienced that delay, she struggled to prevent various other students from passing her. Even by using her Acid Quirk to move faster, Mineta's extra weight was slowing her down. Kirishima, Sato, and even a General Studies student or two had passed her.

"Ughhh! This sucks!"

As Mina complained, another individual shot ahead of her. To Mina's surprise, she recognized him. It was that green-haired boy that Jiro (probably) liked.

Propelled by the power of magecraft, Izuku didn't even slow down at the Fall. Using his reinforced physical abilities, he leaped right to the next platform, barely catching the edge. Yet Izuku couldn't afford to play it safe.

'If I'm going to catch up to Kacchan and everyone else, I need to keep going!'

All the while, at the front of the pack, Todoroki ran forward calmly, even as Bakugo blasted toward him, 'The crowd, the heroes watching… they probably are crediting everything to that bastard. I will show them, and him… I don't need my fire. I can win this with nothing but my ice.'

Over the intercom, Todoroki once again heard the voice of Present Mic as he approached a large and seemingly inconspicuous open space.

"Our leading runner has reached the final obstacle in this race… the Minefield! It's a deadly wartime carpet, so they'll need to keep a sharp eye out for the mines! But don't worry, they'll only give you a flashy scare when you trigger them!"

Todoroki's eyes narrowed, realizing the final obstacle was meant to slow things down, 'I see… so that's how they are playing this.'

Staff Seating, First-Year Stage
Day 22, Morning

As her eyebrow twitched repeatedly, Haruka Osano stared intently at the screens showcasing the First-Year Stage's preliminary event. In particular, not unlike Rin Tohsaka elsewhere in the stadium, the U.A. teacher had her attention particularly set on a green-haired student of hers. A student who was supposed to be Quirkless.

'What happened to you, Midoriya? Even if it's a late blooming… this is ridiculous.'

"Is everything alright, Miss Osano?"

Upon being addressed, Haruka turned to see who was talking to her. To her surprise, it was none other than All Might, the Symbol of Peace. Next to him was a handsome eyepatched man in a business suit— who Haruka couldn't help but notice was totally her type.

"M-Mr. All Might! I didn't expect to see you here!"

The No.1 Hero laughed, "Ah-hahaha! It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Osano."

Haruka was still in shock, but nodded, "Well, I'm delighted to finally meet you. And who is this, erhm… dashing… individual with you?"

All Might blinked upon seeing Haruka's blushing face, before realizing her gaze had become firmly set on Hansa. The priest, noticing her blush, smirked, "My name is Delmio Stridberg. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss."

Hansa then kissed her hand, and Haruka looked like she might combust into flames, "I… uh… well…"

"By the way, I saw you looking rather troubled at the screen. Is something the matter?"

Hansa's inquiry brought Haruka out of her embarrassed haze, "W-Well, it's just one of my students, Midoriya. I thought he was Quirkless, and yet…"

Looking at the screen across the way, All Might was careful to keep his expression stoic, although internally he was just as surprised about this development as Haruka. Unaware of the specifics of what had occurred at Dagobah Beach, All Might could only speculate how the Quirkless young man was suddenly displaying supernatural abilities.

'Is it something he acquired at that training? Could it be related to the powers that Servants and Masters wield?'

Hansa, as it would turn out, would provide an explanation to both of the confused faculty members, "Funnily enough, I got the chance to speak to the boy myself. Seems he had an extremely late blooming. Turns out he has a body-strengthening Quirk of some sort."

Haruka nodded, "I see. It's odd, but I suppose not impossible…"

As the two continued their conversation, All Might decided to leave them be. Plus, if nothing else, he felt rather awkward playing witness to Osano's poor attempts at flirting with Hansa. The No.1 Hero had never had a girlfriend or boyfriend, so he was decidedly uncomfortable when it came to matters of attraction.

Moving up to the top of the staff seating, the Symbol of Peace gazed at the monitors, his eyes fluttering between various students— but always coming back to either Izuku Midoriya or Itsuka Kendo. Before the blonde hero could watch for too long though, he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming from the hall behind him, 'Hmmm?'

Quickly recognizable from the glowing orange flames coming off his outfit, the Flame Hero Endeavor stepped out into the staff seating area with his usual gruff expression.

With a stern nod, the No.2 Hero greeted his long-time rival, "All Might."

Toshinori raised both of his eyebrows, "Endeavor? What are you doing here? I thought this was the seating area for U.A.'s faculty exclusively?"

Endeavor waived the comment off, "You and I both know exceptions can be made. Unless you really want to try and convince me that the man you were accompanying is a U.A. teacher."

The Flame Hero gestured to Hansa, who was sitting next to a flustered Osano while glancing back at All Might and Endeavor analytically.

All Might coughed, before attempting to look unperturbed, "Fair enough, I suppose. Now then, why exactly do I have the pleasure of your visit?"

Endeavor hardened his gaze, cutting through the pleasantries, "I need to talk to you about something."

Toshinori didn't have an exact idea of what Endeavor might be wanting to speak about, but nodded nonetheless, "Would you like to speak now, or…?"

Endeavor looked toward the screens, "We can wait till the first event is over. I want to see how Shoto performs."

"May I ask what it is you intend to speak to me about, at least?"

Endeavor lowered his voice, trying to ensure no one overheard, "I want you to tell me what you know about the Holy Grail War."

Toshinori's eyes widened, despite his best efforts to conceal his shock, "I see… so you've learned about it as well."

Suddenly, the performance of Itsuka and the others didn't feel as important for the No.1 Hero. Instead, he felt a sense of trepidation growing within him.

'Even Endeavor has found out about the Holy Grail War. He was involved in Nagoya admittedly, but none of the other heroes who fought in the Minato Ward mentioned anything about the war. So the question is… where did Endeavor learn about it?'

Obstacle Course, First-Year Stage
Day 22, Morning

As he made his way across the minefield cautiously, Shoto Todoroki heard the wrathful yell of Katsuki Bakugo ring out from behind him, "Hah! This crap can't slow me down!"

In an explosive burst forward, the blonde-haired boy propelled himself past Todoroki, shattering Shoto's lengthy winning streak. Bakugo doubled down as he started his newly-gained lead, glaring at his opponent, "You might think you're a big shot, but you're just another pebble in my path!"

Present Mic's commentary quickly updated the other racers on the situation, his excitement rising even more than usual, "Oh wow! We have a new leader! Following his declaration, Katsuki Bakugo has risen into first place! Get excited, mass media! I know you guys love this sort of turnaround, especially with the other racers catching up!"

Indeed, numerous racers had already entered the minefield, including Kendo, Iida, Shiozaki, and Kirisame.

And they would be joined by one more person— Izuku Midoriya, who had managed to pass Eijiro Kirishima and a shocked Momo Yaoyorozu and now found himself at the edge of the minefield.

Still glancing backward, Bakugo quickly noticed the green-haired boy.

'That Quirkless nerd… how'd the hell he get this far?'

However, the momentary distraction made Bakugo a target for an ice blast by Todoroki. Losing his momentum and landing on the ground, it was only by pure luck that the blonde avoided activating any of the mines. Standing up, he prepared to unleash a deluge of explosions at Todoroki in revenge.

"NICEEEE! Seems Todoroki isn't quite down for the count! He's hit Bakugo with a brutal counterattack!"

Aizawa interrupted, "Hold on… there's something else happening."

The words of 1-A's Homeroom Teacher unnerved the frontrunners, who pondered what "something else" might be. As it so happened, they didn't have to wait long for an answer. Spiraling forwards from the Fall, a pink and blue shape rocketed wildly through the air.

"WHEEEE! Go, my precious babies!"

Aizawa commented dryly, "Seems one of Power Loader's students had something up her sleeve. Although it doesn't look to be going quite as she planned."

Screaming forward with a jury-rigged jetpack, Mei Hatsume cackled like a maniac as she headed for the minefield. Flying over the various heroic students who had reached the field, she set her eyes on the finish line. But just a second after Hatsume crossed over the field, the jetpack on her back began rapidly expelling smoke.

Before Todoroki or Bakugo could react, Hatsume slammed into the minefield with a crash, setting off a deluge of mines. A wave of explosions ripped through the third obstacle, launching Bakugo and Todoroki way back. Iida and Kendo weren't spared either, with Iida in particular slamming into one of the side barriers near the start of the minefield.

"OH MY! With that unfortunate crash-landing, the Support Course's Mei Hatsume has completely reset the standings of this race! But I hope everyone's not gonna just sit around in shock!"

Present Mic was right. Mere seconds after the explosion, students were on the move. Leading the new rush forward were two of 1-B's students— Kirisame and Shiozaki. But they were soon joined by Honenuki, who dove into the ground to swim his way to victory.

But Class 1-A wasn't going to let up. Kendo and Bakugo quickly recovered, followed by a furious Todoroki. Sero and Tsuyu also pushed forward, while Iida pushed himself to his feet.

Yet there was the final wildcard who'd been spared from Hatsume's accident— Class 1-C's Izuku Midoriya, who was racing across the minefield with surprising speed and grace.

Following close behind Midoriya, Bakugo screamed like a banshee, "DEKUUUUU! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

Bakugo's mind was full of questions, but he ultimately concluded a single thing. That damn nerd… that Deku… he'd been hiding his powers all these years. All for this chance to humiliate him.

Kendo and Shiozaki, meanwhile, were surprised by Midoriya's power as well. They'd known he'd acquired magecraft, but they had yet to see it truly in action.

Despite suddenly being behind in the race, Kendo smiled, 'To be honest, I had written him off… but he's certainly serious about trying to win.'

Ibara gazing at Midoriya, contemplated utilizing one of the moves she learned from Caster, but decided against it, 'I should save my techniques for later. As long as I rank highly, that will be good for now.'

"This is incredible! We've got an eleven-way dash for the top spots! The obstacle course is approaching its climax, folks! We've got not just 1-A and 1-B, but students from 1-C and 1-H vying for the crown of first!"

As he ran forward, Izuku felt like his limbs were on fire, 'My magecraft… I can't keep it going without a break for much longer! But I need to keep moving or… YIKES!'

Behind him, a mine Izuku thought he had managed to dodge exploded. Out of the smoke leaped a girl with dark orange hair and fox ears that he didn't recognize. Swirling behind her were tails of flame.

'Flame tails? She must have set off the mine with her Quirk!'

Kirisame laughed as she charged like a predator going after prey, "You're not getting first place that easily, cutie!"

Midoriya stuttered as he ran, "C-Cutie?!"

To Midoriya's left, Bakugo prepared to unleash an explosion, before Tsuyu grabbed him with her tongue and threw him onto a mine, "Not so fast, Bakugo."

As Tsuyu continued forward, Sero yelled to his froggy classmate, "Oi! Why'd you do that to Bakugo, Tsuyu?"

The green-haired girl hopped forward as she replied, "I don't like bullies, kero."

"Yeah, true, I feel bad for that Midoriya guy… but we're here to win, so don't get too nice!"

Sero then shot ahead of Asui, a grin on his face. He doubted he could get first at this point, but he could at least place as high as possible.

In the depths of the ground, Honenuki tried his best to judge his current position. Making an executive decision, he surfaced. But as soon as he leaped out of the softened ground, he glanced backward to see Shiozaki right on his tail, 'Unfortunate. I surfaced too early. Well, time to improvise.'

Hatsume, meanwhile, smiled as she switched some settings on her custom shoes, "Alright baby… momma's got another task for you!"

Her boots propelled her forward across the ground, letting her pass by Honenuki and Shiozaki, and starting coming up on Todoroki. The boy, who was pushing forward on a line of ice, ignored her. He had given up all pretense of caution, mines exploding in his wake.

At the back of the leaders' group, bursting past several of his classmates who had already caught up, Tenya Iida gritted his teeth. For a speedster, this race truly had not gone his way, 'I'm sorry, brother… I don't think I'll be able to win this event!'

Crossing the minefield, the other high-placing students— Kirishima, Awase, and Tokoyami, among others— kept a careful watch on the proceedings. Within that group, Yaoyorozu nodded in slight defeat, 'You win this round, Midoriya. Now finish it.'

"THIS IS IT, FOLKS! IT'S A NECK-AND-NECK CLASH FOR FIRST! WHO IS GOING TO WIN IT?"

"Quiet down… you're going to blast out my eardrums."

With the gateway back into the First-Year Stage in sight and the mines behind them, the top racers all began to clamor forward even faster.

Sliding forward on a slipway of ice, Shoto Todoroki stared at Bakugo and Midoriya in horror, 'I… can't close the gap!'

Narrowly ahead of Todoroki, Mei Hatsume cackled, barely aware of her own placement in this race, "WATCH ME, SUPPORT COMPANIES!"

Eager to prove herself, Kirisame blazed forward. Ibara and Honenuki weren't close enough to contend for first, but she still had a chance. The honor of her class was now on her, 'Sorry, Monoma! Your plan was stupid anyway!'

Just ahead of her, Itsuka Kendo called upon as much of All Might's power as she could. She still had trouble accessing One For All… but she wasn't going to stop trying.

Bakugo, rocketing forward with his explosions, was like a wild beast. He wasn't going to bother trying to strike back at the froggy bitch who flung him. All that mattered now was stopping Deku from winning.

Izuku, his body screaming in pain as he pushed forward, had only one thought in his head, 'I… I can do this!'

As they passed into the shadow of the stadium, all became quiet. Then, dashing in just millimeters ahead of Bakugo, was Midoriya. His body was caked in sweat, and for a moment he didn't believe what he had just achieved. But as Bakugo watched half-catatonically, the crowd began to roar. Rapidly, Present Mic made the announcement that made it all real.

"AND THE WINNER IS… oh, what an upset! IT'S CLASS 1-C'S IZUKU MIDORIYA!"

Deactivating his magic circuits, Izuku wobbled briefly as his body shifted back to its normal level of physical ability. Looking down, the green-haired boy hid his tears from the world, 'I… I'm still in it!'

Meanwhile, back outside on the obstacle course, Kyoka Jiro smirked at the announcement. The realization that a General Studies student had won the race had surprised more than a few people. Taking advantage of their distraction to increase her placement, the jack-eared girl offered a murmur of congratulation, "Nice going, Midoriya."

With each minute that went by, more and more students filed into the stadium, Jiro included. Most of them felt excited and proud, but several were quite frustrated by their overall placements.

Amongst Class 1-B's members, many were grumbling about Neito Monoma. Before the festival, Monoma had convinced many of his classmates they should purposefully let Class 1-A dominate the first event. According to him, this would make it all the more crushing for them when 1-B came back with a fury in the second event. But as the first event approached its conclusion, many of them were questioning why they had gone along with the idea in the first place. They might now be at a severe disadvantage in the second event for all they knew.

Back with 1-A, Momo Yaoyorozu frowned upon seeing her name in 13th, 'I could have done much better. Although I suppose I still have the time to improve.'

Shoto Todoroki, meanwhile, stared at his ranking of 6th, his frustration rising as warm steam wisped off his body, 'Dammit…'

Mina Ashido grumbled as she blushingly hobbled around the stadium, Mineta still clinging to her back, "This is so embarrassing…"

The grape-haired boy laughed, "Hahahaha! 23rd! My strategy worked perfectly!"

Mineta's laughter suddenly was interrupted, though, by the voice of the purple-haired student who threatened Class 1-A before the Sports Festival, "And why do you think getting 23rd will help you win?"

"Huh? What was th..a…t….."

Mineta's eyes glazed over, and Shinso whispered a soft order, "Release the girl."

Compelled by the mind control, the diminutive boy and his balls fell off of Mina Ashido's back. He dropped to the ground with a thud, pulling him out of his controlled state, "Bwah…? How'd I get down here?"

Mina turned to thank Shinso, but the General Studies student had already moved away nonchalantly. So instead, Mina's eyes fell on the prone Mineta. Her eyes seemed to glow menacingly, although Mineta prayed it was just a trick of the light.

"Oh… hi, Ashido! I-I-I'll just be o-on m-my way…"

The pink-skinned girl growled, "Mineta…!"

Knowing the press and Pro Heroes were watching, Mina settled for throwing down a bit of acid just in front of Mineta. With a shriek, her perverted classmate scrambled away to somewhere safer.

Seeing him run off, Mina sighed before heading over to where Ochaco was standing. She wanted to congratulate Kirishima and the others, but after all the nonsense with Mineta, she'd rather spend her time before the second event talking with her female classmates.

Finally, as the number of students in the stadium passed 40, the Obstacle Course's leaderboard finished filling up. As a weary Chikuchi Togeike ran through the gate of the First-Year Stage, it let out a loud beep that was also broadcast all over and around the stadium. The signal's meaning was clear to both those who had finished and those still running outside.

The top Forty-Two had been decided, and the first event of the Sports Festival was over.

Special Spectators Level, First-Year Stage
Day 22, Morning

With the Obstacle Course Race complete, All Might and Endeavor moved away from the Staff Seating area to a secluded portion of the stadium's interior. They had been joined by Hansa Cervantes, who had overheard them earlier thanks to his cybernetically-enhanced hearing.

"So, Mr. Flame Hero… where did you hear about the Holy Grail War?"

Looking at "Delmio Stridberg" with a suspicious gaze, Endeavor gave a cryptic response, "I won't reveal my sources specifically… but I've had contact with one of the Masters of the Grail War. They, along with their Servant, told me about the rough structure of the conflict."

"I see… so there's a Master in the Pro Hero circles. Interesting."

All Might wondered about who Endeavor's mysterious source might be. Was it one of Endeavor's sidekicks? The Flame Hero didn't exactly socialize heavily. They had to be someone who trusted him to keep the secret as well. Unfortunately, All Might also stayed mostly out of Hero social circles, with Nezu, Recovery Girl, Sir Nighteye, and Gran Torino being the only ones he really had any extensive contact with.

'I suppose that I really should have gotten to know my fellow heroes better…'

Endeavor was quiet as he stared at Hansa appraisingly. Then, suddenly, the No.2 Hero unleashed a jet of flame toward Hansa. The priest raised his left arm quickly, blocking the strike. The fabric of his suit was burnt away, and his arm was now dotted with singe marks. But strangely, the smell in the air didn't include the scent of burnt flesh, which Endeavor had become able to distinguish over the years.

'That arm… something's off about it.'

Hansa grinned as All Might looked ready to take on Endeavor, "Now what was that for?"

The Flame Hero glared, "I knew it. You aren't some government agent or teacher. Even All Might here would be hard-pressed by my flames at such short notice. Who are you really… 'Delmio Stridberg'?"

Brushing at his exposed arm, Hansa smiled, "You're a perceptive one. The name's Hansa Cervantes. Executor of the Holy Church and assigned Overseer of the Holy Grail War."

"Overseer… I see. You're like the Servants."

"Hmm?"

"I already know from my source that Servants aren't from this world. They are the product of another version of Earth. You're from there too, aren't you?"

Hansa smiled, "Got it in one."

"How many of your people are there?"

Hansa shrugged, "Not telling you that. Besides, who's to say if there are others at all?"

'He's being evasive. He probably won't tell much more than he's already told me. But…'

Endeavor turned to All Might, "Fine then— All Might. I'm assuming Nezu is involved in all this? That rat couldn't resist sticking his paws into something so interesting."

Toshinori gulped, "Well, um… that's correct."

"But you… you probably found out in Nagoya. After all, you fought alongside several Servants against that 'Avenger' and 'Jester'."

The Symbol of Peace lowered his head in defeat, "Yes… that is also correct."

Putting his arms together, Endeavor let loose a heavy sigh, "I doubt you're a Master though… you don't have those 'Command Spells' I was told about."

All Might said nothing, but it was clear that Endeavor's comment had been correct.

'I've just about got all the information I need. But I've made a gamble as well, revealing myself. They'll surely report this to Nezu. However… I doubt I could have kept out of this anyway. From the moment I battled the Black Knight in Nagoya, I was embroiled in the Grail War.'

Endeavor's mind flashed back to his near-fatal battle from only a few weeks ago.

'Shoto, Fuyumi, Natsuo, Rei… I'll protect them. Even if I must fight another Servant, I won't let this "Holy Grail War" put them in danger. Whatever it takes— I will keep my family safe.'

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Morning

As non-qualifying students continued to stream into the stadium, conversations erupted throughout the ground level of the First-Year Stage.

Class 1-C, aside from a few stragglers, had gathered together to celebrate their four classmates.

As Shinso awkwardly tried to deflect the attention directed toward him, Togeike and Suzuki took the chance to walk over to the biggest winner of all.

"Hot dang, Midoriya! You killed it out there! I didn't know you'd unlocked a Quirk!"

The green-haired boy blushed, "Aha… I got really lucky it manifested when it did. But you guys made it too! That's great!"

Suzuki grinned, "Heck yeah we did! Had to elbow some French-styled 1-A student in the gut to do it, but nabbed myself that 38th place spot!"

Togeike sighed, "I'm the real lucky one… I barely beat out some 1-B kid with a speech bubble for a head. Seems he has asthma or something. Any idea how that one works, dude?"

Midoriya began muttering, "ASpeechBubbleForAHeadButHeStillHasARespiratorySystemWhichlmpliesThat— ah, sorry… I didn't mean to…"

Suzuki laughed, "Dude, why haven't you done that more? That was awesome!"

Midoriya squeaked, "You… liked that?"

Togeike smiled, "Midoriya, your Mutter Storms are one of your charms! Why, to be a little Midnight-like here… you could…"

The black-haired girl then whispered something into Midoriya's ear, making him light up like a tomato, "T-Togeike! I-I-uh-well-uhm…"

Suzuki smirked, "Whatcha say to him, Chi?"

"Oh, nothing~, just a bit of advice for when he finally hooks up with that 1-A girl who was staring at him a few weeks ago."

Suzuki glanced toward 1-A, eyeing Kyoka Jiro, who was talking to her muscular classmate Shoji, "Her? You really think she likes Midoriya? I don't see it, Chi, sorry."

Togeike frowned, "Well, maybe you're right… but it would be rather cute. She seems a lot like me, so I know she'd be a good catch for Midoriya."

As the aforementioned Midoriya was being thrown up in the air by several of his more excitable 1-C classmates, Suzuki turned to his childhood friend with a jokey smile, "If you're his type, why don't you date him?"

Togeike laughed, "What, and leave no one left willing to date you?"

Suzuki blushed before yelling in indignation, "Hey, wait a sec! What are you trying to say?"

Before much more antics could ensue, however, the familiar sound of Midnight's whip brought everyone to attention. Izuku's classmates set him down, and he flinched as he briefly locked eyes with a vengeful-looking Bakugo, before looking up at the R-rated Heroine.

"Well, the race is over, and everyone's returned. I've even given you time to look over the results… amongst other things."

The heroine particularly looked over at 1-C with a complicated smile that seemed both happy and annoyed.

"But to skip past the foreplay… those 42 competitors who arrived first will be moving on to Round 2. But for those who placed lower, don't rush off. We have some activities that you'll be able to help with after Round 2."

Even if Midnight's words were meant to comfort, they didn't provide much in the way of reassurance. Yuga Aoyama and Manga Fukidashi looked particularly down, fearing the future of their positions in the Hero Course.

"Now then… it's time to unveil our next event! I already know what it is, of course… but we here at U.A. love a little suspense! So let's spin and find out!"

The screens once again spun through a vast array of options, barely readable. After a few seconds, and with students gulping in anticipation, the screen came to a stop.

Izuku's eyes widened at the result, 'Cavalry Battle..!'

"A cavalry battle…"

"Haven't done one of those since middle school…"

Midnight helpfully began to explain the rules, "Participants will, on their own, form teams of two to four members total. You'll then form into a horse-and-rider formation, the specifics of which they may decide, and work together to snatch the opponent's headbands— just like an ordinary cavalry battle. There's one little difference though… each of you has been assigned a point value based on your placement in the race you just had!"

The heroine's words caused another outbreak of muttering. In Class 1-A, the big-lipped Rikido Sato nodded in understanding, "So we'll earn points like in the Entrance Exam? Sounds simple."

Nearby, Itsuka Kendo nodded, "And the point value of each team will depend on its members…"

Midnight, frustrated at having her explanation stolen from her, cracked her whip again, "I was about to explain that, so just shut up already!"

Izuku sweatdropped at the spectacle, 'Ms. Midnight sure doesn't like having the spotlight taken from her. Although I suppose that makes sense given her… "attire".'

"Well anyways, as I was trying to say… each of you will have a point value, starting at five points for the 42nd ranker and increasing by five for each subsequent placement. But there's a small catch for our lovely 1st-place ranker, Mr. Midoriya…"

Izuku froze in fear, realizing that the R-rated Heroine was about to say something very very bad for him.

"... we aren't settling for assigning him a measly 210 points. Instead, he'll be getting our premium headband worth 10 Million Points! That's right— 10 Million!"

"M-M… Million?"

In an instant, every eye in the stadium was on Izuku. He was blood in the water, and his fellow students had all become vicious sharks.

"There's always suffering for those who reach the top… that's why you need to go beyond. No doubt you've heard this before here at U.A.— you need to go Plus Ultra!"

As Izuku trembled, he glanced toward Togeike and Suzuki, who both gave him an apologetic smile. He knew instantly they had no intention of joining his team.

"Now then… a few more rules. The match will last 15 minutes, and as was said so… kindly… by our lovely Class 1-A, each team's points will be determined by its members. The rider of the team will wear a headband displaying the total number of points for that team— yes, even the team with 10 Million as a part of their points. Until the match ends, try to snatch other people's points and protect your own headbands. All headbands— snatched or otherwise, must be worn around the neck or higher. No keeping it in your pants this time, kiddos! But watch out, because more headbands means more stuff to keep track of. Most importantly, even if you find yourself without a single headband, you aren't out of the game. Even if your formation breaks, you can still get back up! It's not over till it's over!"

As students began to chat amongst themselves again, Midnight rapidly finished up her explanation, "Finally, although it should be obvious, Quirks are allowed! We still want to see fair play, though, so use them to get those headbands! Maliciously targeting a student to intentionally hurt them or their team will disqualify you and your teammates— so don't even think about it!"

Nemuri particularly looked over at Bakugo, having been informed to keep a careful eye on the explosion user.

'He attacked Midoriya in the cafeteria, I believe? He better not try to pull anything under my watch!'

"We'll give you fifteen minutes to form your teams! The clock is ticking, so don't get distracted!"

As the students exclaimed in surprise and began milling around, Nemuri smirked, 'That first event was quite exciting, and the second is probably going to be even more so. But I can't wait till the third event… the one-on-one battles are where it truly gets wild!'

To be continued in Chapter 27: Riders in the Stadium

A/N: I've had a bit of a backlog when it comes to finished chapters, so here we are again! Although the obstacle course isn't exactly the longest sequence, I'm quite fond of this part of the Sports Festival. However, the Cavalry Battle will be even more wild, and I'm doing my best to make sure that chapter is easier to follow. Look forward to the continued craziness!

Lunar Files: Sports Festival Obstacle Course Rankings
1st- Izuku Midoriya (10,000,000 pts)
2nd- Katsuki Bakugo (205 pts)
3rd- Itsuka Kendo (200 pts)
4th- Tsuka Kirisame (195 pts)
5th- Mei Hatsume (190 pts)
6th- Shoto Todoroki (185 pts)
7th- Juzo Honenuki (180 pts)
8th- Ibara Shiozaki (175 pts)
9th- Hanta Sero (170 pts)
10th- Tsuyu Asui (165 pts)
11th- Tenya Iida (160 pts)
12th- Eijiro Kirishima (155 pts)
13th- Momo Yaoyorozu (150 pts)
14th- Fumikage Tokoyami (145 pts)
15th- Mashirao Ojiro (140 pts)
16th- Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu (135 pts)
17th- Yosetsu Awase (130 pts)
18th- Mezo Shoji (125 pts)
19th- Rikido Sato (120 pts)
20th- Ochaco Uraraka (115 pts)
21st- Kyoka Jiro (110 pts)
22nd- Mina Ashido (105 pts)
23rd- Minoru Mineta (100 pts)
24th- Koji Koda (95 pts)
25th- Sen Kaibara (90 pts)
26th- Kosei Tsuburaba (85 pts)
27th- Denki Kaminari (80 pts)
28th- Kojiro Bondo (75 pts)
29th- Reiko Yanagi (70 pts)
30th- Hitoshi Shinso (65 pts)
31st- Jurota Shishida (60 pts)
32nd- Shihai Kuroiro (55 pts)
33rd- Yui Kodai (50 pts)
34th- Hiryu Rin (45 pts)
35th- Nirengeki Shoda (40 pts)
36th- Kinoko Komori (35 pts)
37th- Togaru Kamakiri (30 pts)
38th- Taro Suzuki (25 pts)
39th- Neito Monoma (20 pts)
40th- Pony Tsunotori (15 pts)
41st- Setsuna Tokage (10 pts)
42nd- Chikuchi Togeike (5 pts)