Chapter 16 - Chapter XV Quirk Apprehension Test Part 1

Yami's note.

Hellooooo.

How are you my dear readers?

Well, I came to ask about the new cover, clearly much better than the old one hahaha... I don't know what I was thinking when I made it.

Well, what do you think of the cover? Do you like it?

If you have any questions about the plot, don't hesitate to ask!

Well, without further ado...

Let's Go!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~•~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The physical education field was completely silent.

The wind blew gently, stirring the students' hair and swaying the leaves of the trees surrounding the area.

Aizawa, with a carefree yet imposing posture, kept his stern gaze on the group. His glowing red eyes, activated by his Quirk, gave him a terrifying presence, as if he could see through their souls.

But then, a trembling voice broke the tension in the room.

—That's not fair!

Ochako Uraraka took a step forward, her face reflecting confusion and some fear, but with palpable determination.

Her voice echoed in the air, and some of her classmates looked at her in surprise, as if admiring her courage in standing up to the fearsome teacher.

Aizawa, for his part, did not react immediately.

He just let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, as if he'd already expected that answer. Then he narrowed them, staring at the girl with an air of exhaustion.

"Fair?" he repeated in a monotone, but with a dangerous edge to his voice.

The already tense atmosphere felt even more suffocating.

"Natural disasters..." he began calmly, raising a finger. "Mass accidents."

His tone was becoming increasingly somber.

—The attack of psychopaths.

Another finger was raised.

—The terrorist attacks.

Each word seemed to pierce the students' morale, making them understand the harshness of the world they were entering.

—All kinds of calamities happen when you least expect them.

Aizawa paused, letting his words sink into each of them.

No one dared to speak.

Some gulped, others clenched their fists, Hades raised an eyebrow in interest, while Akemi felt a chill run down her spine.

The professor finally let out a longer sigh, running his hand through his disheveled hair.

—Nothing in the world is fair...

His voice dropped almost to a whisper, forcing everyone to pay closer attention.

—Our job as heroes isn't to complain about it. It's not to ask the world to be kinder, or to plead for balance.

His gaze hardened.

—Our job is to predict the unpredictable, respond to chaos, resolve the unresolvable, and, above all, maintain logic when everything is falling apart around us.

Aizawa looked at them all in silence, before continuing, pleased to see the serious faces of his students.

—These three years at the UA won't be easy. It won't just be a walk in the park where you make friends and dream of glory. It won't be a story of overcoming difficulties where, in the end, everyone achieves their dreams without losing anything.

The tone of his voice became even more serious, activating his quirk again.

—It will be hell. One that many of you will never escape.

The students felt a chill run through their bodies.

Hagakure let out a small gasp, Uraraka shuddered slightly.

But Hades... Hades smiled.

The old god within that mortal body recognized something in those words. A spark of truth amidst a sea of ​​illusions.

Aizawa raised a finger, a dangerous glint in his eyes and a wide grin.

—That's Plus Ultra.

The field was completely silent.

Some students stared at the ground, feeling the pressure like a weight on their shoulders. Others gritted their teeth, determined not to give in to their fear.

Hades smiled in amusement, feeling something inside him ignite.

Beside her, Akemi was also smiling, although her hands were trembling slightly, her mind flooded with memories.

From another time, from another life, from everything I had lost.

Aizawa closed his notebook with a snap and, with one last glance at the class, declared:

—That was all for the demonstration.

He turned away slowly, as if the conversation had meant nothing to him.

—Let's get into action.

Aizawa walked with a calm gait, his hands in his pockets and his notebook under his arm.

The students followed him in silence, still processing his intense speech. The only sounds were the murmur of the wind and the sound of footsteps on the ground.

After a few meters, they reached an athletics track with lines marked on the ground.

To one side was a machine equipped with a high-precision lens, ready to record each student's exact timing.

The teacher stopped walking and looked at his notebook.

—First test, 50 meters flat.

Almost immediately, some students felt the adrenaline rush through their bodies. Others gulped, wondering how they would fare.

Aizawa looked up and announced:

—Tenya Iida and Tsuyu Asui, in front.

The two mentioned advanced.

Iida did so with absolute confidence, lifting the cuffs of his leg warmers and adjusting his posture firmly.

Asui, on the other hand, kept her expression neutral, her large eyes blinking slowly.

Aizawa brought a whistle to his lips.

—On your marks...

Iida leaned forward slightly, his legs tensing.

Tsuyu simply relaxed in her posture.

-Out!

The whistle sounded and in the blink of an eye, Iida shot out like lightning, propelled by the exhaust pipes on his calves.

The roar of his Quirk filled the air as the boy moved forward with impressive speed.

Tsuyu, for her part, moved with agility, making a couple of amphibious jumps before getting into her rhythm.

The machine calculated the times and a mechanical voice announced:

—Tenya Iida: 3.04 seconds.

A couple of students whistled, impressed.

—Tsuyu Asui: 5.58 seconds.

Tsuyu bowed her head.

—Ribbit... I guess it's not so bad.

Iida turned around with a big smile.

—My family has specialized in speed for generations! It was to be expected.

Meanwhile, Midoriya watched Hades out of the corner of his eye and began to explain in a low voice.

—Iida's Quirk is called "Engine." It allows him to run at great speeds thanks to those exhaust pipes on his legs. They're like real engines... if he uses them well, he can reach extreme speeds in a short time.

Hades raised an eyebrow, interested.

—And the frog girl?

—Asui has frog-like abilities: he can jump great distances, his tongue extends up to 20 meters, he can climb walls, and he can camouflage himself.

Hades clicked his tongue.

—It seems useful for stalking prey.

Midoriya looked at him sideways.

-You're right.

Hades just smirked.

—Next round. Uraraka and Ojiro, up front.

Ochako gulped, but smiled, trying to remain confident. Ojiro simply nodded, wagging his tail slightly as a warm-up.

—On your marks...

The whistle blew, and they both took off.

Ojiro leaned forward slightly and used his tail to propel himself with precision, managing to maintain a constant rhythm.

Uraraka, although fast, had no particular advantage in speed, and her effort was noticeable in every stride.

—Mashirao Ojiro: 7.10 seconds.

—Ochako Uraraka: 7.15 seconds.

Uraraka fell to her knees as she finished, panting.

—I almost got you!

Ojiro smiled kindly.

—It was a great race.

Hades, who was standing with his arms crossed, glanced at the girl who seemed ready to tell him her quirks.

With an almost feigned sigh, he asked.

—What are the quirks of those two?

Akemi smiled, and lifted her humble chest in a sign of pride, and placing a hand on it, she spoke.

"Ochako can remove gravity from anything she touches, as long as she touches it with her five fingers," she said, as several students turned slightly at the girl's animated words. "On the other hand, Ojiro has a tail."

Hades blinked slightly, nodding in understanding.

—Next. Aoyama and Ashido, —Aizawa declared.

Aoyama flashed a bright smile as he pointed at his own face with one hand.

—I'm going to dazzle them with my joie de vivre.

Mina stretched out her arms, smiling at the boy's words.

—Whatever you say, diva.

Aizawa didn't waste any time.

—On your marks... go!

Aoyama turned around, his back to the track, and tried to use his Quirk to boost himself, but only managed to maintain a slight lead at the start.

His lacer, which started from his navel, disappeared when he was halfway there and fell on his back.

The audience watched the scene intently, and when it fell, a teardrop formed on their necks from the performance.

"And what's that guy doing?" Hades said, glancing at Akemi, who was smiling somewhat uncomfortably at the scene.

—Well... he has a laser in his belly button.

As she said those words, Mina instead glided gracefully, using her Quirk to reduce friction and move forward fluidly.

—Mina Ashido: 5.48 seconds.

—Yuga Aoyama: 5.51 seconds.

"My God!" Aoyama exclaimed, surprised.

Mina raised her fists in victory.

—Yes! I did it!

—Do you have fluid on your feet?

—More or less, you see... His quirk is based on exuding acid in the form of a thick liquid —Akemi replied, turning to look at the boy next to her.

Aizawa looked at his notebook and spoke in his monotonous tone.

—Next, Bakugo and Midoriya.

Akemi smiled widely as she walked forward confidently.

—Wish me luck, Hades-kun!

Hades just looked at her as she walked forward, but at that moment, he noticed how her right fist was shaking.

The two rivals stared at each other, tension rising in the air.

Bakugo clicked his tongue.

—You better not fuck with me, Deku.

Midoriya gulped, but his eyes sparkled with mischief.

—Don't be too surprised, Kacchan.

—On your marks...

They both leaned forward, ready.

Bakugou brought both palms behind his back, while Akemi's legs flashed slightly with a faint greenish glow.

-Out!

—Explosive race!

A boom echoed across the arena. Bakugo used explosions to propel himself forward, charging forward with violence and fury.

Midoriya, on the other hand, activated 3% of One For All in his legs, generating a burst of speed.

They both crossed the finish line at the same time.

—Bakugo Katsuki: 4.13 seconds.

—Midoriya Akemi: 4.13 seconds.

Murmurs erupted from the mouths of all the students.

—They tied!

Bakugo, noticing this, looked at Midoriya furiously.

—Tch! Damn nerd!

Midoriya, although panting, looked at him with a slight smile.

—I guess it's not that bad, right Kacchan?

—Next, Hades and Yaoyorozu.

Momo smiled confidently, but a light sweat glistened on her forehead, showing the nervousness she felt at being next to the boy.

—It would be a waste to run without some strategic advantage...

From his arm, he materialized skates powered by small compressed air motors.

Hades frowned.

-What's that?

Momo raised an eyebrow.

—They said we could use our Quirks.

The god sighed, without losing his defiant attitude.

Then, summoning a jet-black sphere in his right palm, he was not far behind.

"Surge... Haruto!" he said, as spiderweb-like cracks formed on the ground beside him.

And from the same crack, a skeleton the same size as the summoner emerged.

—On your marks...

"Corpse gear!" Hades continued.

A grayish glow enveloped the skeleton's body as it deformed.

When the glow faded, a large sword was stuck in the ground where the skeleton had been.

Everyone opened their eyes at the sight of such a scene, many impressed, others skeptical.

—That sword looks great!

—Why a sword?

—It looks... heavy...

The murmurs continued, questioning the situation.

"I see Hades-san is going all out," Agakure said, as he approached Akemi.

The girl was surprised and startled by the intrusion, but let it pass and smiled slightly.

—I can see that, I'm glad he's not holding back.

Hades gripped the hilt, and when he tried to lift it, he felt the full weight of the sword.

"Fuck..." Hades muttered, resting the greatsword on his right shoulder.

Momo looked at him sideways, cautiously and surprised.

"Get out!" Aizawa shouted.

Momo shot out with impressive momentum, while Hades, with a grunt, lowered his center of gravity.

The sword was too heavy, and with no choice, he ran with it resting on his shoulder, hoping it would increase his speed.

At first he tried to speed up, hoping the ability would activate, but he soon noticed the difference: he didn't have the superhuman speed the sword granted him.

By the time she crossed the finish line, Momo was already finished.

—Momo Yaoyorozu: 5.21 seconds.

—Hades: 8.41 seconds.

The god frowned.

—Tch... why the hell isn't it working?

Momo smiled slightly, as she walked away from Hades.

—It wasn't so bad.

Hades growled under his breath and stabbed the greatsword into the ground as he walked towards a confused Akemi.

A grey glow enveloped the sword again and it disappeared.

"Hey, are you okay? What happened back there?" Hagakure asked, noticing the boy's proximity.

Hades shook his head and looked down, soon looking up and his eyes changed slightly.

Haruto had taken control.

—Sorry... I still don't know how to activate my sword's ability...

Akemi frowned slightly as Hagakure made an illusion of crossing her arms.

"But you used it without any problem that time!" Hagakure replied, confused.

Haruto sighed softly, and looked at the green-haired girl out of the corner of his eye.

But before he could say a word, Hades took control again and looked away.

After the strange competition between Hades and Yaoyorozu, Aizawa glanced down at his notebook and looked up with his typical tired expression.

—There are still several left. Keep coming when I call you.

The students exchanged glances, some with excitement and others with nervousness.

—Next. Todoroki and Tokoyami.

Both boys advanced to the starting line.

Todoroki, with his serious expression, crouched slightly in a runner's position.

Tokoyami, arms crossed, calmly looked out at the track as a black mass began to form next to him.

—On your marks...

Todoroki flexed his toes and small traces of ice formed on his left boot.

Tokoyami looked at Dark Shadow, who poked his head out from behind him, ready to act.

-Out!

Todoroki hit the ground with his left foot and a layer of ice spread forward.

Gliding over her gracefully, he immediately gained momentum.

Tokoyami, for his part, had Dark Shadow push him hard from behind, giving him a slight advantage.

They both advanced quickly, but Todoroki's ice gave him a clear advantage.

—Shoto Todoroki: 4.80 seconds.

—Fumikage Tokoyami: 5.52 seconds.

Todoroki exhaled, showing no reaction.

Tokoyami nodded calmly.

Hades, this time, didn't ask any questions, just looking at the quirks was enough to guess what they were about.

"Not bad..." Todoroki muttered, peeling off a few chunks of ice that formed on his legs.

Dark Shadow puffed out his chest.

—We can improve, Tokoyami!

—Next. Shoji, Sero

Shoji and Sero took their positions.

Shoji stretched out his multiple arms, while Sero twirled his wrists confidently.

—On your marks... Go!

Shoji used his extra arms to push himself off, achieving a powerful start.

Sero, for his part, fired his tape and pulled himself forward, sliding quickly.

It was a close race, but Shoji had a slight advantage due to his physical strength.

—Mezo Shoji: 5.39 seconds.

—Hanta Sero: 5.48 seconds.

Sero snapped his fingers.

—I almost caught up with you.

Shoji nodded with a slight smile forming on one of his tentacles.

—Good effort.

—Next. Kirishima, Rikido

Both boys bumped their fists together before getting into position.

Sato concentrated, while Kirishima stiffened his legs to maximize his thrust.

—On your marks... Go!

Kirishima started off with great speed thanks to his hardened momentum, but Sato, using his natural physical power, managed to quickly match him.

As they crossed the finish line, they were both panting.

—Eijiro Kirishima: 6.02 seconds.

—Rikido Sato: 6.11 seconds.

Kirishima smiled, raising his right fist.

-Almost!

Sato smiled back, lightly punching Kirishima's outstretched fist.

—Yes, but I'll definitely beat you next time.

—Next. Koda, Kaminari

Koda looked visibly nervous as he got into position.

Kaminari, on the other hand, smiled confidently.

—On your marks... Go!

Koda ran with all his might, but without any special skills to help him.

Kaminari, though having no advantage in speed, propelled himself with small electric shocks in his legs, giving himself slight pushes.

The result:

—Denki Kaminari: 6.59 seconds.

—Koji Koda: 7.02 seconds.

Koda breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it wasn't that bad.

Instead, Kaminari chuckled, giving Koda a small pat on the shoulder.

—Hey, you weren't bad at all!

The boy nodded timidly.

—Next. Jiro, Hagakure

Hagakure jumped excitedly, turning slightly to see the two silent boys who accompanied her.

—Wish me luck, Hades, Akemi-chan!

—Good luck, Toru-chan!

Hades just snorted under his breath, not taking his eyes off the invisible girl.

On the other hand, Jiro looked calmer, although ready.

—Come on, Jiro! Let's run as fast as we can!

Jiro sighed.

—Yes, yes...

—On your marks... Go!

Hagakure ran quickly, taking advantage of her more athletic build, while Jiro used his jacks as whips to propel himself slightly.

It was a close race.

—Toru Hagakure: 6.58 seconds.

—Kyoka Jiro: 6.54 seconds.

Hagakure jumped excitedly.

—I beat you!

Jiro shrugged.

—I'm not complaining.

The class had finished the speed test, and Aizawa, with a blank look, began to write down all the results in his notebook.

His face remained impassive, but deep down, there was a faint glimmer of satisfaction at seeing the class giving their all.

The professor looked up, and his eyes stopped on Hades, who was in the last group.

Aizawa's brow furrowed slightly as he watched him, and he couldn't help but remember how impressive Hades' speed had been when he'd used his greatsword of bones in the entrance exam.

"This is just the beginning," he thought, letting his gaze wander as he turned his attention back to the notebook.

He immediately raised his head and approached the class.

—Okay, go ahead. Let's go to the gym.

The students got moving, their steps a little lighter now that they had passed the 50-meter test.

Uraraka jumped from side to side with her contagious energy, while Bakugo walked at a firm pace, his fists clenched, as if nothing could stop him.

Midoriya stared at Hades out of the corner of her eye, intrigued by everything that had happened during the race.

Once inside the gym, Aizawa told them to line up.

Aizawa, in his monotonous tone, gave the instructions.

"For this test," Aizawa explained as he took one of the devices, "they'll measure your grip strength."

He held the dynamometer with one hand, squeezing it tightly.

The digital screen displayed a number, but Aizawa didn't even bother to look at the result before leaving it on the table.

—Simple rules: you can only use one hand and you have to be creative with your Quirks.

Bakugo crossed his arms.

—Creative? Pfft. Just push hard, right?

"It'll be easier for some than for others," Aizawa replied. "You'll form groups of five to take turns with the dynamometers."

The group dispersed, quickly forming teams as Aizawa jotted down names in his notebook.

Shoji, Ojiro, Uraraka, Momo and Tsuyu formed the first group.

Shoji took the dynamometer first.

The sound of the machine creaked as Shoji applied pressure with multiple arms.

—540 kilos!

The students around were speechless.

"Wow!" Ojiro exclaimed. "That's monstrous!"

Shoji shrugged.

—I have bigger arms, so I can apply more force.

Ojiro smiled and took the dynamometer.

—Let's see how much I can do with my tail.

He used the limb with precision and applied pressure.

—152 kilos.

"Not bad at all," Shoji commented.

Uraraka was next. She used her right hand and squeezed with all her might.

—44 kilos.

He sighed, letting go of the dynamometer.

—It's not much...

Momo approached, generating a small hand press with her Quirk, which wrapped around the dynamometer.

—Okay, let's see how much I can accomplish with this.

When he pressed it, the screen showed a shocking 500 kilos.

Uraraka's jaw dropped.

—That's almost as much as Shoji!

"Mechanics favors me," Momo replied calmly. "Though I can't compare to Shoji's sheer strength."

Tsuyu was the last of the group.

He extended his long tongue, wrapped it around the dynamometer, and applied force.

—90 kilos.

"That's impressive," Ojiro said, watching with interest. "I never thought a tongue could be so strong."

Tsuyu tilted her head.

—I have special muscles.

Iida, Bakugo, Midoriya, Todoroki and Jiro, formed the second group.

Iida adjusted his glasses and picked up the dynamometer.

—61 kilos.

"Decent, but nothing special," Bakugo said with a mocking smile before taking his own. "Let me show you how it's done."

He squeezed hard and the screen showed 71 kilos.

—Ha! I knew I could crush them all.

"My turn!" Akemi said, taking the dynamometer from Bakugo's hands.

He walked over and activated 2% of One For All on his arm before squeezing the dynamometer.

—71.09 kilos.

Bakugo stared at him.

—What! You beat me by less than a kilo?

Midoriya scratched his cheek, while holding a smile.

"Sorry, Kacchan," she said, nudging him in the arm.

Bakugo growled under his breath as he looked away.

Todoroki stepped forward and, with his calm expression, applied pressure with his hand.

—59 kilos.

The boy nodded pleased as he passed the dynamometer to the girl next to him.

Jiro took the device and squeezed it tightly.

—45 kilos.

He pulled away, rolling his eyes.

—I guess I'm not going to excel at this...

Hades, Tokoyami, Sato, Kaminari, and Hagakure made up group three.

Hades raised his hand and a jet-black sphere formed in his palm.

"Come on... Larry," he said, as the ground beside him opened up with several spiderweb-like fissures.

Unlike before, a small skeleton emerged from the hole formed.

"Hey boss!" the little skeleton shouted, drawing everyone's attention.

Everyone's eyes fell on the boy's white skull as he turned to look at Akemi.

—Hello, boss!

Akemi smiled, pleased by the little skeleton's words as she looked haughtily at an annoyed Hades.

—Little Larry still knows who's in charge here.

Hades sighed heavily, as he raised his hand.

"She's not the boss of you!" he said, shining the small skeleton with a grayish sheen. "Corpse gear."

On Hades's outstretched hand, a gauntlet formed of white bones with yellowish tones and leather parts.

He smiled confidently and tightened the dynamometer.

—49.8 kilos.

Hades raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the amount.

"I thought it would be more than that..." he whispered, as he handed the dynamometer to the bird-headed boy.

Tokoyami, upon receiving the device, summoned Dark Shadow, who covered his arm as he tightened the dynamometer.

—68 kilos.

Sato, before his turn, took a chocolate out of his pocket and swallowed it whole.

Within seconds, his muscles expanded slightly thanks to his gift and he squeezed tightly.

—120 kilos.

"Whoa!" Kirishima exclaimed. "Your strength increased instantly!"

Sato shrugged.

—That's my quirk, sugar rush.

Kaminari took his turn.

—57 kilos.

Hagakure, despite being invisible, seemed to make an expression of effort as she squeezed.

—49 kilos.

"Not bad," Aizawa said, jotting down the results.

Kirishima, Mina, Koda, Aoyama and Sero formed the last group.

Kirishima activated his hardening and tightened the dynamometer.

—69 kilos.

Mina was next.

—50 kilos.

Koda, though hesitant, took his turn.

—52 kilos.

Aoyama struck a dramatic pose before pressing.

—53 kilos.

Finally, Sero closed the group.

—56 kilos.

Aizawa reviewed the results in his notebook.

—As expected, Shoji and Momo led this test, but everyone has room for improvement.

Bakugo looked at Midoriya with sharp eyes.

—I don't believe it... I'm going to beat your score next time, you damn tomboyish nerd!

Akemi chuckled softly, winking at him.

—I invite you to try it, Kacchan.

Hades, for his part, looked at his hand and then squeezed it firmly.

—I have to get stronger...

Aizawa closed his notebook and looked at the students with the same tired expression as always.

—Let's move on to the next test.

The group followed their teacher toward a track with a large sandbox at the end.

"This time they'll measure their long jump," Aizawa explained, pointing to the takeoff area. "The goal is simple: go as far as possible."

Some students tensed.

The grip strength test had been a challenge for several, but the jump required explosiveness and technique.

Aizawa looked around the group, noticing some reactions.

Midoriya clenched her fists, anxious, although she had gotten good results so far, her memories of the future wouldn't leave her alone.

Todoroki remained stoic, his usual silence more marked than ever.

Hades, on the other hand, was frowning.

Aizawa raised his eyebrow in curiosity, when he saw Momo standing near him.

She looked nervous, her shoulders shaking slightly.

It was clear they didn't want to be together.

He decided to jot down an observation in his notebook as he continued to watch.

Then, he saw a seemingly floating uniform approaching the boy.

—Hades-kun! Nervous?

He looked at her sideways.

-No.

Toru giggled.

—That answer says a lot of things except "no"...

Hades snorted under his breath, a small smile replacing his frown.

Toru, noticing this, apparently became excited and hit the boy's arm.

—I wish you good luck, Hade—

Aizawa cleared his throat, interrupting the conversation.

—Let's begin.

First on the list was Aoyama.

Aoyama stood on the takeoff line in a dramatic pose.

—I will shine like a shooting star!

He flexed his legs and activated his Navel Laser towards the ground, propelling himself forward.

It took off gracefully and landed on the sandbox.

—Magnifique!

—7.5 meters —said Aizawa, writing it down in his notebook.

"Not bad," Kaminari commented.

Bakugo stepped forward with a confident smile.

—Hah! This is a piece of cake.

Without waiting for instructions, he bent his knees and activated blasts in his hands, propelling himself forward with a large burst.

He went all the way across the sandbox and landed hard on the other side.

—Take that, extras!

—10 meters.

Midoriya took a deep breath.

—Focus... Stop thinking about what happened.

He activated 3% of One For All on his legs and jumped hard.

He completely overshot the sandbox, landing a few feet away.

Aizawa scored the score without reaction.

—10 meters.

"Well done, Akemi-chan!" Ochako and Hagakure exclaimed.

The aforementioned smiled widely, walking past the grumpy blonde.

Momo stepped forward, completely calm now that Hades had turned his attention away from her.

He placed both hands on his abdomen and created a trampoline with his Quirk.

With a short run, she jumped over him and launched herself gracefully.

He crossed the litter box with ease.

—9 meters.

Hades clicked his tongue at the scene.

—Traps...

"You don't break the rules if you use your Quirk creatively," Akemi said, with a mocking smile.

Hades didn't answer, but his expression didn't hide his contempt.

One after another, the students began to jump.

Tokoyami, 7.6 meters, using Dark Shadow to propel himself.

Iida, 8 meters, activating his engine in a single instant before jumping.

Shoji, 8.2 meters, using his extra arms to swing in the air.

Uraraka, 10 meters, partially removing gravity before landing.

Kirishima, 6.1 meters, stiffening his legs.

Sero, 7.2 meters tall, swinging with his duct tape.

Kaminari, 5 meters, without any special strategy.

Finally, Hades advanced to the takeoff line.

Hades looked at the litter box in front of him.

His mind wandered around his second skeleton.

"If only I could use the sword..." he thought, but quickly shook his head.

And, taking distance, he decided to do it without help.

He flexed his legs and jumped with all his might, but... his momentum carried him only a short distance.

—3.8 meters.

Hades gritted his teeth as he stood up and brushed the sand off his pants.

Light curses escaped from his mouth, as he looked annoyed.

—Come on Hades-kun, I know you can do better in the next tests —said Akemi, giving him a small pat on his shoulder.

Hades did not respond.

He knew he could do better, but still, he gladly accepted the girl's small words of encouragement.

Aizawa closed his notebook, stopped writing down points and looked at the class.

—Some used their Quirks well. Others can improve.

Hades crossed his arms, annoyed.

Akemi breathed heavily, slightly afraid of what was to come.

Todoroki remained silent.

Bakugo crossed his arms with a satisfied smile.

Momo ignored Hades's hostile glare.

Aizawa didn't waste any more time.

—Let's move on to the next test.

The group of students followed Aizawa silently to an area near the softball field.

There were marks painted on the ground and a couple of sensors installed around.

Aizawa flipped through his notebook and, without looking up, explained in his usual monotonous tone:

—The next test will measure your endurance and body control: extended lateral hops. The goal is to complete the most hops in a given time. You can use your Quirks if you think it will help.

Some students exchanged glances.

It wasn't a showy test like the others, but it was physically demanding.

Bakugo gritted his teeth, glancing at Akemi, who stood firm, but with her fists clenched.

Although she tried to control herself, he noticed that her hands were shaking slightly.

"Tch. Always so damn nervous... How the hell is she equaling me in every way?" she thought angrily. "Although... with what she explained to me last week..."

His thoughts were stopped, when Aizawa called out to the first group.

One by one, the students began the test.

Iida moved with precision using his Quirk, his legs a blur as he added jumps at an absurd speed.

Shoji used his multiple arms to swing his body and maintain a steady rhythm.

Tokoyami used Dark Shadow to boost himself, but it wasn't the most efficient.

When Bakugo's turn came, he stomped on the ground, bending his legs.

—Hah! Watch and learn, extras!

With each jump, small explosions erupted in his hands, giving him an extra boost.

His feet barely touched the ground before taking off again, generating a beastly rhythm.

The sensors could barely register their movements in the dust.

Akemi watched silently. She knew Bakugo was strong, but she couldn't afford to be left behind.

He took a deep breath.

—Calm down... calculate. Don't rush.

When Aizawa called her, she activated One For All at 3%.

His muscles tensed instantly.

As soon as he started moving, his legs exploded with power.

His speed wasn't as chaotic as Bakugo's, but it was precise enough to make each jump clean and efficient.

The others remained silent, watching as Akemi remained at a similar level to Bakugo.

He frowned, teeth clenched. He was getting more and more annoyed.

When time ran out, Bakugo glared at Akemi with suppressed fury.

She didn't look back at him; instead, she exhaled calmly, maintaining her firm posture.

I still felt anxiety, but I wouldn't show it.

Hades, who had been watching from the side, felt a slight resentment.

Until now, I had not been able to excel in any test.

His brow furrowed in annoyance.

"I'm a god, aren't I? How the hell am I stuck in last place?" he thought, clenching his fists in suppressed rage.

He didn't get any further when he heard Akemi's voice calling him.

—Hades-kun.

He turned reluctantly toward her.

"What?" Her tone came out sharper than expected.

Akemi stared at him, without losing her composure, and a small smile materialized on her lips, understanding what Hades felt at that moment.

—It's your turn.

Hades moved forward, frowning. He didn't want to do this, didn't want to be here.

Watching everyone else excel while he stayed in the background made his stomach turn.

"Tch. Fucking mortals..." he thought, although he knew he too was bound by the same limitations.

He stood at the starting mark, bending his legs.

He could feel everyone's eyes on him, causing his fingers to twitch.

"Begin," Aizawa ordered.

Hades darted to the side, using his natural speed and body strength.

He jumped with precision, his training chasing rabbits and dodging roots paying off, but as time passed, his movements became more cumbersome.

He didn't have the superhuman stamina of some of his teammates, nor the explosive speed of Bakugo or Akemi.

When the whistle blew, he stopped his movement with a click of his tongue.

It started out well, but eventually it went downhill.

-Shit...

He walked away with a serious expression, but inside his blood was boiling.

The rest of the students continued with the test.

Todoroki jumped sideways with fluid movements, but without using his Quirk.

Although his technique was good, it was clear that he wasn't trying very hard.

Momo, on the other hand, used small spring plates in her shoes to give her a little extra boost. Her performance was efficient and well-calculated.

Kirishima activated his Quirk to harden his legs and increase his stability, achieving a good number of jumps.

Sero used his treadmill to push himself creatively, achieving a high number of repetitions without losing his balance.

Mina relied on her natural flexibility and agility to stay moving without losing speed.

Hagakure, or rather her uniform, seemed to float as she jumped, moving with natural grace.

Shoji, with his multiple arms, maintained perfect balance, allowing him to maintain the rhythm without quickly tiring.

Tokoyami tried to use Dark Shadow to push himself, but the shadow wasn't particularly useful in this type of test.

Tsuyu used her tongue to stabilize and improve her performance, surprising some with her efficiency.

Koda and Sato did their best, although without outstanding skills for this test.

Jirou tried using the wires coming out of her ears to stabilize herself, but it didn't work as she expected.

Aoyama shined (literally), but didn't have an impressive performance.

When everyone finished, Aizawa took notes without saying a single word.

Hades crossed his arms, feeling a growing annoyance inside him.

It wasn't enough. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shine.

Bakugo was visibly upset, his hands crackling with rage as he glared at Akemi.

I couldn't stand what was happening.

—His quirk supposedly woke up recently... How the hell is he matching me!

Akemi, on the other hand, breathed deeply, trying to ignore the feeling of anxiety that was eating away at her; the next test had her on the verge of collapse.

Tension mounted in the air. The students, exhausted from the first test, lined up once more on the field as Aizawa explained the next test.

Akemi stood in the center, watching the softball in her hands.

His fingers trembled slightly, as if they were about to betray his body.

"The next test is the softball throw," Aizawa said emotionlessly, looking at the group with tired eyes. "Each of you will have to demonstrate your ability to apply force in a single movement. You can do whatever you want as long as you stay within the circle."

Akemi felt the air getting thicker with every word that came out of Aizawa's mouth.

The past crept into his mind without warning.

A flash of memory attacked her mercilessly.

It was a distorted scene, where she was standing in front of a large crowd of students, everyone's eyes watching her.

Same test, same ball. But something had changed.

The pressure was much greater. The anticipation... everyone's expectation.

Then, he heard something he never thought he'd hear again.

The sound of his entire hand breaking under the pressure of the force of the throw.

The crunching of their bones, the slimy sound of their flesh tearing, the wet sound of their blood dripping.

The image of his broken fingers became more vivid.

The flesh torn from his wrist, the bones shattered by the force of the throw.

Anxiety coursed through his body, taking over his mind.

Everything felt more realistic than I expected. Her currently intact hand was distorted in the girl's eyes.

Her breathing quickened, her chest tightening as the feeling of panic choked her.

Akemi gripped the ball tightly, but her hands were shaking so much that she almost dropped it.

She was sure that if she didn't calm down, her body would break again.

And it was then, as if the universe had decided to be cruel, Aizawa, with his neutral tone, continued without noticing Akemi's internal suffering.

—Start when you're ready.

The air felt heavier. Akemi couldn't concentrate, the memory kept replaying in her head like a broken tape.

Every beat of her heart was a reminder of what had happened.

The fear of failing again.

The fear of everything repeating itself, the fear of being seen as weak, as someone who couldn't do it.

The fear of everyone's gaze. The fear of screams, of laughter. The pain of the fracture.

The fear of failing again, of breaking again.

Akemi held the softball tightly.

Her fingers closed on the rough surface, but her grip was firm not out of trust, but out of fear.

His hand was shaking, although he tried to hide it.

—It's not the past. It's not the past. It's not the past...

The heat of the sun touched his skin, but he couldn't feel it. He only sensed the chill of his own terror.

In front of her, Aizawa watched her with calculating eyes, a stern and firm presence.

His hands were in his pockets, but his posture gave him away: he was ready to erase his Quirk at any moment if necessary.

Akemi swallowed.

Everything was fine. Everything was different.

And yet...

The shadows of her past dragged her down mercilessly.

—You don't deserve to be a hero.

The images mingled in the girl's eyes.

His retinas showed an echo of the past.

There she was, so weak, so innocent and powerless.

She was curled up in on herself, hunched over, holding her hand twisted at an unnatural angle, the skin torn, bones sticking out.

—A one-shot hero will die and leave the party in danger.

The murmuring of the students, the disappointment on their faces, the condemnation in their eyes flooded Akemi's ears.

—You're expelled.

His lungs were compressed.

His breathing quickened, his ears ringing with a hellish whine.

—Not again. Not again. Not again...

His field of vision began to narrow, the present fading into the fog of panic.

Until a voice cut the illusion like a knife.

—Hey, Akemi! Hurry up, we're getting bored here!

His mind shook.

He blinked several times and looked up.

Hades looked at her, his arms crossed, his eyebrow raised, and his expression annoyed. There was no judgment in his eyes.

There was no compassion.

Just annoying.

That small detail anchored her to the present.

—This is different...

He inhaled, his chest slowly expanding.

—This is not the fate I was meant to live.

He exhaled, his muscles releasing tension.

—This time, it's different.

She gripped the ball tightly. Fear still consumed her, but it no longer controlled her.

He had power over his own destiny.

Akemi let out a soft sigh.

—...Thank you, Hades.

The boy frowned.

—Oh?

"Nothing," he replied with a small smile.

Hades clicked his tongue and looked away.

—Tch. Rare mortal...

She turned her attention back to the ball.

He turned it over in his hand and firmed his stance.

He channeled 100% of One For All into his index finger.

A red light covered the tip of his finger, vibrating with raw, pure, uncontrollable energy.

At the same time, his entire arm was wrapped in 10% of One For All, securing it like an anchor so that the power of the blow would not shatter his body.

A green glow illuminated her skin, and tiny sparks of electricity danced in the air.

Aizawa narrowed his eyes.

I knew I shouldn't intervene. I knew Akemi wasn't the same brat who used her gift without a thought for the entrance exam.

Now she had more control over herself.

But still, his body was ready to move at any moment.

Akemi inhaled and exhaled deeply, as black whips emerged from her arm, coiling like angry snakes, enveloping her limb in a dark armor.

Akemi bent her knees.

The wind around him grew thicker.

His heart was beating fast.

—...I can do it.

He drew back his arm.

—...I'm stronger than before.

His eyes shone brightly.

—... I won't make the same mistakes of the past.

He took a step forward, planting it firmly and slightly lowering his center of gravity.

—I'll write my own story!

And then, he screamed with all his might.

-Smash!

His voice pierced the air, not just with power, but with a declaration.

A thunderous explosion echoed across the field.

The ball became a white flash, taking off at blinding speed.

The ground crunched beneath their feet, pressure erupted in a shock wave, and a gust of wind battered the students.

Their hair flew violently. Some covered their faces with their arms, others took a step back from the intensity of the impact.

The echo of the blow spread like thunder.

The ball disappeared over the horizon.

Everyone's eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the little green-haired girl.

Aizawa took out his phone and looked into the distance.

805.3 meters.

He showed the mark to everyone and looked at Akemi with a wide smile.

-Awesome.

She could barely react.

His chest rose and fell with labored breaths, his body trembled with adrenaline and exertion.

But it hadn't broken.

For the first time, it hadn't broken.

Akemi felt something hot rise in her throat.

An intense emotion, a cry of victory contained in his chest.

But before she could process it, the sound of footsteps made her turn around.

—You damn nerd!

Bakugo launched himself at her, not using his Quirk to propel himself.

He didn't need explosions to move forward. His rage was enough to drive him.

His jaw was tight, his eyes bloodshot with fury.

"What the hell was that!" he roared, his voice shaking with anger. "How the hell did you do that, Deku?"

Akemi didn't respond, her jaw was firmly clenched and her teeth biting her lower lip.

Bakugo couldn't stand it.

He gritted his teeth and accelerated, raising his fist.

But before he could touch her, her body stopped dead in its tracks.

Aizawa's cloth bands wrapped around his torso and limbs, immobilizing him in the air.

"That's enough, Bakugo." Aizawa's voice was calm, but carried an undeniable weight.

The boy writhed in his restraints, growling like a cornered animal.

"Explain yourself, damn it!" Her eyes were filled with confusion, rather than anger.

His breathing became erratic, his teeth clenched as adrenaline coursed through his body.

Akemi had gotten over it.

Just a few days ago, she had told him that her Quirk woke up late, an extremely rare case.

He believed it without hesitation.

Because it was Akemi Midoriya.

The useless, the shadow, the cursed stone in his path.

Even when she showed him those strange black whips, he thought the same thing.

They didn't matter.

It didn't make her better than him. It didn't make her stronger. It was just another obstacle in his path.

But what I had just witnessed...

I couldn't deny it.

The stone in his path, the one he labeled as useless, had left him behind.

The roar of his fury and confusion burned in his chest, consuming him like an uncontrollable fire.

But then, something stopped his mind in its tracks.

The black whips began to gather and vanish into the air.

Akemi's arm unraveled from its own darkness, revealing the consequences of its power.

His skin was reddened, convulsing slightly as if his own flesh was being torn from within.

But the worst was his index finger.

It was completely red.

Not only because of the tension, but because I was bleeding.

Small drops fell to the ground, staining it scarlet.

Bakugo felt a lump in his throat.

And then, a memory crossed his mind.

"My Quirk woke up late, Kacchan," Akemi had told him with that stupid, clumsy smile on her face. "I don't even know if my body can handle it. Maybe... maybe it'll even kill me."

He laughed in her face at that moment.

—Oh? Don't give me cheap excuses! If he kills you, it's because you're weak.

But now...

He saw her bite her lips, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

But without making any sound of pain.

He clenched his fists.

—Tch... —he smacked his tongue.

Aizawa, seeing that Bakugo would no longer try to attack her, loosened the bandages and freed him.

The blond turned to Akemi, frowning, but his tone was... less aggressive than usual.

—Are you okay, Deku?

The girl blinked, somewhat surprised.

It was the first time in years that Bakugo had called her that without meaning to make fun of her.

A smile appeared on his contorted face.

It was small, almost indistinguishable from its current expression, but genuine.

—I broke my finger, Kacchan. Do you think I'm okay?

Bakugo growled and looked away.

-Idiot.

And without further ado, he walked away, walking with his hands in his pockets, still annoyed, but with a different weight in his expression.

Aizawa watched the interaction silently, making small notes in his notebook.

He rubbed his dry eyes and put in drops before continuing with the activity.

When he finished, something else caught his attention.

It was Akemi...

She was asking Hades to heal her.

Aizawa raised an eyebrow.

I knew Hades had a Quirk related to regeneration from Recovery Girl's report.

If he could heal himself, maybe he could heal others too.

Still, the boy's reaction was not expected.

—How the hell am I supposed to—

Hades stopped dead in his tracks.

His gaze changed, his posture wavered.

And when he spoke again...

He was no longer him.

Haruto had taken control, looking at the girl with wide eyes, filled with genuine concern.

The students who were watching the scene couldn't help but exchange glances.

Hades... was different.

Even his voice had a different tone.

—I don't know if I can cure you...

Akemi looked him straight in the eyes.

That look...

It was not a plea.

It wasn't out of desperation.

It was trust.

Haruto felt his heart sink.

"But... you'll try, right?" Akemi whispered, with a slight smile.

Haruto swallowed hard. His eyes darted nervously between Akemi's injured hand and the crowd of people staring at him.

His body felt heavy, almost paralyzed.

The pressure of everyone watching him squeezed his chest, robbing him of his breath.

His mind was a whirlwind of chaotic, disordered, incomprehensible thoughts.

What was I supposed to do?

He tried to remember.

Yeah, healing. He had a healing Quirk, right?

But... how?

Recovery Girl used a kiss.

No, no, no, not that! Definitely not that!

His face immediately reddened, and his outstretched hand trembled uncontrollably.

Her lips trembled as she tried to say something, but all that came out was a slight gasp.

—Shit, I'm blocked!

Inside his head, Hades looked at him with pure contempt.

—You're useless! I'll take care of it!

And without further ado, Haruto felt his consciousness being pushed aside.

His expression changed in a blink.

The anxiety in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a hard, calculating look. But the slight blush on her cheeks was still there.

Hades growled softly, remembering.

How was I supposed to heal someone?

"Damn..." he muttered under his breath.

Inside his mind, Haruto crossed his arms.

—Oh, wow, what happened to the great god Hades? You don't know what to do either!

Hades felt a nervous twitch in his eye.

-Be quiet.

Haruto snorted mockingly.

—No. This is your fault now.

—Oh, please! It was you who froze!

—At least I tried to think of something! You just took control and you're still just as lost!

Hades growled in frustration, but he couldn't respond. Haruto was right.

He didn't know what to do either.

His eyes returned to Akemi's hand.

His skin was red, inflamed, and his index finger was trembling with slight spasms.

Despite his calm expression, his lips were pale, and his pupils trembled with pain.

Hades felt a chill run down his spine, causing him to grit his teeth.

It didn't matter if he didn't know how his Quirk worked. He was going to make it work.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

His grip on Akemi's hand became firmer, but not rough.

He concentrated.

He remembered how the old woman explained to him that his healing was related to his resistance.

So... what would happen if I tried to share it?

In his mind, he imagined his energy flowing from his body into Akemi's hand. He didn't know if that made sense, but he visualized it with all his might.

His brows furrowed with effort.

Then, Akemi, slightly surprised, felt a slight tickle on her arm.

In full view of everyone, a faint green light began to glow in his hands.

It was dim, fragile, like the light of a firefly.

But it existed.

Akemi's skin slowly began to change.

Hades felt as if his body was being drained. His breathing became heavier, and a slight dizziness hit him.

But he didn't stop.

The red color of Akemi's skin began to fade little by little.

The pain that ran through her lessened.

His fingers, once trembling, now looked firmer.

Sweat began to accumulate on Hades's forehead.

His body protested.

His muscles felt like lead, his breath became ragged.

But he didn't stop until he felt it.

A faint pulse, a twitch of pain in his chest. His instincts screamed that it was enough.

And when she opened her eyes, Akemi's arm was no longer swollen.

The pain was still there, but much lesser.

Hades staggered back, feeling exhaustion hit him like a wave as he gasped for breath.

Akemi looked at her arm, moving it slowly, surprised that it was better.

—My finger still hurts... but my arm is better.

Hades let out a growl, bringing a hand to his forehead.

—Fuck... I feel damn tired now...

He fell flat on his back, holding himself up with one hand on the ground as he gasped.

The voices, which until now had been in an expectant silence, broke the dome of silence.

—Amazing, we have a partner who can heal us!

—Damn, that scene was completely manly!

—He looks very tired... Maybe he can't control his quirk?

Aizawa, who had been silently watching everything, narrowed his eyes, taking notes in his notebook.

—Interesting... He can heal others, but at the cost of his own resistance...

Akemi knelt beside him, a slight smile on her lips.

—You did well.

Hades gave him a warning look.

—Don't start.

Aizawa sighed, watching the surprise still permeate his students' faces.

Without wasting any more time, he took command of the situation.

—Hades, you'll go last. In the meantime, the rest will come as I call them.

The students blinked, processing his words, before shaking off their surprise and starting to move.

Hades, still sitting on the ground, breathed heavily, resting his elbows on his knees as his body tried to regain some energy.

One by one, Aizawa began calling the students for the softball pitching test.

—Todoroki, you're next.

The aforementioned, as calm as ever, walked with a firm step and picked up a ball.

Positioning himself, he didn't wait for any sign as the temperature dropped almost suddenly.

Frost accumulated on the boy's face as he made his throw.

The launch was weak, but as it lost altitude, it hit the ground, causing a large column of ice to shoot out of the ground, propelling the ball.

Aizawa looked at his tablet screen, and nodding, showed it to his students.

—345 meters.

"It was amazing!" Kirishima commented, watching the scene with fire in his eyes.

—Damn, yes!

Aizawa wrote down the score in his notebook and then turned his attention to Bakugo, who had his arms crossed and a nervous twitch in his eye.

—Do you want to repeat the test?

Bakugo gritted his teeth, as if that question was the most obvious thing in the world.

—Fuck yeah!

Without waiting any longer, he grabbed another ball and returned to the throwing area.

—This time, I'm going to break the damn scoreboard!

He bent his knees, concentrating his blasts in the palm of his hand, and threw the ball with an even stronger blast than before.

BOOM!

The shock wave kicked up dust and smoke, shaking nearby students.

Aizawa checked the tablet.

—705.2 meters.

The same result.

Bakugo stood still for a moment, his mouth wide open in disbelief, before gritting his teeth in rage.

-Damn!

He threw his jacket to the floor out of pure rage.

—What happened to you, shitty science?

Aizawa ignored her screams and checked the list.

—Tokoyami Fumikage, go ahead.

The raven boy walked with a firm step towards the launch zone, with Dark Shadow floating behind him.

—This is a trivial task.

Dark Shadow let out a laugh.

—Leave it to me, Tokoyami!

Taking the ball in his shadow claws, Dark Shadow rose into the air and began to spin around, building up momentum as if he were a living catapult.

—Here it goes!

He released the ball at just the right moment.

The speed and height were impressive, the ball rose quickly and fell 250 meters.

Tokoyami nodded in satisfaction.

-Acceptable.

—Mezo Shoji, you're next.

Shoji stepped forward silently, holding the ball with one of his many limbs.

—Right away, Aizawa-sensei.

Flexing his body, he used all his limbs to grip the ball and spun it like a propeller before releasing it with all his might.

The result: 460.7 meters.

The students looked on in amazement.

—He's like a professional baseball pitcher!

—Momo Yaoyorozu, you're next.

Momo took a deep breath and analyzed her best option.

Brute force wasn't his strong suit, but he could make up for it with creativity.

From his arm, he created a metal base and a series of gears, which were quickly assembled into a small artillery cannon.

The students gasped as they shouted in unison.

—He just made a cannon!

—No way... that's not fair!

Momo ignored the comments and placed the ball inside the cannon.

A loud bang rang out as the ball shot out in a trail of smoke.

Everyone followed the trajectory with their eyes until it finally fell.

— 1,025 meters.

Momo smiled with satisfaction.

—Taking advantage of available resources to achieve the best results.

Aizawa wrote down the result before speaking.

—Uraraka Ochako, you're next.

Uraraka stepped forward nervously, but determined.

His strategy was simple.

Eliminate gravity.

He took the ball and activated his Quirk, causing it to float slightly in his palm.

He took a deep breath, swinging his arm back before throwing it with all the strength he could muster.

The ball rose... and kept rising... and rising...

The students squinted, waiting to see her fall.

But he never did.

The field fell silent.

Aizawa looked at his tablet.

The scoreboard displayed a single symbol: Infinity.

The students were speechless.

—Huh? He rolled infinity!

-Oh really!

Uraraka scratched her head with an awkward laugh.

—Uh... I think I threw it too hard...

—Eijiro Kirishima, step forward.

The red-haired boy stretched out his arms and smiled confidently.

—Let me show you how manly I can be!

Strengthening his arm, he gripped the ball and threw it with a brutal hammer blow.

—RRRAAH!

The ball flew straight and powerful.

250.9 meters.

"That's what I'm saying!" Kirishima laughed, beating his chest.

—Koji Koda, your turn.

The shy, quiet-looking boy walked slowly to the front, holding the ball carefully.

He placed his hand on the ground and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, a huge bird descended from the sky, caught the ball in its beak and carried it far away.

Result: 720.3 meters.

The students fell silent.

—Does that count?

Aizawa shrugged and wrote down the result.

—Rikido Sato, you're next.

—It's time for brute force!

Sato took out a small container of sugar and drank it in one gulp.

—Suggar!

His muscles bulged and he threw the ball with a powerful swing.

Result: 520.2 meters.

—Not bad.

—Hanta Sero, it's your turn.

The boy with tape on his elbows laughed confidently.

—This is easy!

He shot a ribbon toward a tall tree, using it as a foothold.

He then attached the ball to another piece of tape and stretched it as far as it would go, like a giant slingshot.

-Takeoff!

He dropped the ball and it took off.

Result: 639.9 meters.

Sero smirked as he whispered.

—Thanks... Angry Birds...

—Denki Kaminari, it's your turn.

Kaminari stepped forward with a confident smile.

—Time to charge this with electricity.

He held the ball and channeled electricity into it before throwing it.

The ball zigzagged and left sparks in the air.

Result: 260.08 meters.

—Hey! I thought it would be more.

Jirou snorted.

— Maybe if you had more brains than voltage...

—Kyoka Jirou, it's your turn.

The purple-haired girl sighed and took the ball.

By plugging his jacks into the ground, he generated sonic vibrations in the ball to make it bounce further when thrown.

Result: 90 meters.

—It could have been better...

—Toru Hagakure, it's your turn...

No one saw when he took the ball, they only heard his voice.

—Here I go!

The ball just flew out.

Result: 106 meters.

—We don't even know how he threw it...

—Tsuyu Asui, it's your turn.

Tsuyu wrapped her tongue around the ball and whipped it around before releasing it.

Result: 290 meters.

She simply nodded.

—Ribbit.

—Mashirao Ojiro, it's your turn.

The tailed boy smiled and used his limb as a whip to propel her.

Result: 330 meters.

—Not bad.

—Tenya Iida, it's your turn.

Iida adjusted his leg motors and prepared himself.

—Full speed!

He ran in circles to build up momentum and launched her with a sweep of his arm.

Result: 175 meters.

—Efficient technique!

—Yuga Aoyama, you're next.

Aoyama simply took the ball elegantly and activated his laser to propel it.

The ball spun erratically, sparking with light.

Result: 265 meters.

-Bright!

—Mina Ashido, it's your turn.

Mina smiled and applied acid to her hand to make the ball more slippery and eliminate air friction and make it roll longer before throwing it with a flip.

Result: 153 meters.

Finally, there was only one person left.

Aizawa looked at Hades.

—Your turn.

The boy grunted as he stood up.

Hades still felt the fatigue weighing on his muscles.

His breathing was uneven, but he managed to slowly stand up.

His red eyes turned to the softball on the ground in front of him.

With a sigh, he extended his right hand and a jet-black sphere formed in his palm.

The air became dense for a second, as if gravity itself had shifted in the immediate surroundings.

The students watched in amazement as several cracks opened in the earth, and from within, a small, thin skeleton with a vaguely childlike shape emerged.

"Corpse gear," Hades muttered.

The skeleton crumbled in his hand and melted into his skin, encasing his right arm in a bone gauntlet of twisted design.

The ball was now in his hand.

Hades looked at his gauntlet and muttered to himself:

—Should I blow up the gauntlet?

He nodded to himself and prepared himself.

He took a run and launched.

But nothing happened.

There was no explosion, no burst of energy.

Absolutely nothing.

The ball traveled through the air without grace, without power, without anything special.

Result: 10 meters.

The numbers on Aizawa's tablet flashed.

An awkward silence fell over the class.

Hades looked at his hand, his gauntlet. He didn't understand.

"Why?" he murmured.

Why hadn't it worked?

Why hadn't the explosion occurred?

—Is this a game to you, Hades?

Aizawa's deep voice cut through the air like a blade.

Hades looked up.

Aizawa watched him with a frown, his expression hardened by a mixture of anger and disappointment.

—Look at you.

Aizawa lowered the tablet, his gaze fixed on the black-haired boy.

—I can see you have potential. Everyone here can see it. But this... this is a fucking joke.

The students felt a tightness in their chest at their teacher's harsh words.

Especially Akemi, who watched the scene with slight fear.

—Let me tell you something, brat.

Aizawa took a step forward, his boots sinking slightly into the dry earth of the training ground.

—In this world, someone who doesn't know their power is a burden.

A murmur ran through the students.

Hades felt a chill run down his spine.

—Someone who doesn't know how to restrain or control their power... is a corpse.

Aizawa took another step forward.

His scarf moved slightly, as if he was preparing to attack.

—And you, Hades...

Hades felt his jaw clench, and his chest tighten.

—You're nothing but a dead weight, a hindrance at the bottom of the boat.

Hades's heart clenched.

The air felt heavy.

His fists clenched.

Her nails dug into her palm hard enough to open small wounds.

Aizawa's words hit him harder than any physical attack.

It was a burden.

A dead weight.

A nuisance.

The same feeling of emptiness he had felt all his life returned.

He remembered the times other children looked down on him in orphanages.

He remembered when he was treated like garbage by adults.

He remembered when he crawled for food, invisible to everyone.

And now, Aizawa was saying it out loud.

—Are you going to stand there like a useless piece of rubble or are you going to show why the hell you're still here?

The world seemed to have lost all sound.

Hades lowered his head.

He looked at his gauntlet.

He looked at his hand.

Why hadn't it worked?

His mind began to wander to memories of his previous fights.

Then, he remembered.

He remembered the fight against the rabbit woman, his fight against those metal creatures, he remembered the terrorist with the hardening Quirk.

He remembered how each blow he took made the gauntlet heat up more and more.

He remembered the pain.

The crunch of his own body as his arm and several ribs were broken.

And then, he remembered the final explosion.

"This glove... Does it absorb damage?" he thought to himself.

But quickly, he shook his head.

That wasn't true, because if it were, why was he feeling the pain? Why were his bones breaking?

His mind began to race, he blinked several times, trying to clear his mind.

And then... he remembered when Inko was washing the dishes, she was using a sponge.

On one occasion, she left it on top of a glass and ran water over it.

The sponge absorbed some of the water, and let the rest flow away.

A metaphorical light bulb illuminated Hades' head, as his eyes opened wide.

—I... I am a glass, the damage I receive is... is the water and my gauntlet is the sponge... —he whispered, while looking more closely at his gloved hand.

He nodded, and understood.

His gauntlet didn't just explode.

It absorbed some of the damage it received, and used it as fuel.

And when he absorbed too much, it turned against him.

But...

What if I controlled how much I absorbed?

"I can do whatever I want as long as I don't leave the circle, right?" he asked, raising his head.

Aizawa watched him for a second.

—Do what you have to do. But if you don't give your all, I'll expel you.

Hades smiled, a wide, dangerous grin appearing on his previously serious face.

And then, he turned his head toward the person he knew the hardest.

—Akemi.

The girl, surprised by his call, looked up, one eyebrow raised.

—Come here... —Hades extended his arm, his palm open toward her—. And give me your best shot!

The students looked at him as if he were crazy, and a curtain of disbelief covered everyone's face.

"What?" Kirishima muttered.

"Are you asking to be beaten?" Kaminari whispered.

Akemi narrowed her eyes. Then she smiled, trusting Hades's judgment.

—How much power do you want?

—Enough so you don't kill me.

Some students tensed.

Akemi walked forward calmly and stopped a few steps from the boy.

-Good.

He raised his fist.

The air vibrated.

The black whips of his Quirk emerged, snaking around him and wrapping around his left arm.

The girl's eyes glowed bright green and small rays of the same color snaked down her arm.

Hades felt his instinct screaming at him to get out of there.

But he didn't.

"Get ready!" Akemi's warning cut through the simmering tension, and then her fist slammed down. "Smash!"

His fist slammed into the bone gauntlet with brutal force.

The impact ran through Hades' body like an electric shock.

His arm tensed, his shoulder trembled slightly.

And above all, the gauntlet heated up and glowed.

The energy of the explosion was stored inside him.

Hades felt it.

The heat.

The pressure.

The energy contained within the gauntlet waiting to be released.

—Heh... Hahaha...

A low laugh escaped his lips.

He clenched his fist, the gauntlet vibrating with excitement, wanting to release the energy.

-Now yes...

Hades looked at the ball in his hand.

Akemi, sensing that something of great magnitude was about to happen, wisely returned to the group.

He bent his knees, stomped heavily forward, and tensed his arm.

His body leaned forward, as his arm made a powerful swing.

In the shortest amount of time, his mind roared, his throat responded to the roar, and his tongue spat out the best he could remember.

"Plus Ultra!" he shouted, throwing the ball.

But this time, when he let go...

The gauntlet roared louder than his scream.

An explosion twice as strong as Bakugo's erupted, propelling the ball like a projectile.

The ground cracked beneath Hades's feet.

The wind whipped up dust and hit the students' faces, the shock wave staggering the unsuspecting.

Everyone watched in amazement as the ball disappeared into the sky like a meteorite.

Aizawa looked at the tablet.

His eyes narrowed.

—820 meters.

Silence fell over everyone present.

Then, a single thought ran through the heads of all the students.

—Who the hell is this guy?

Aizawa opened his eyes in genuine surprise.

The wind still ruffled her hair, and the echo of the explosion dissipated on the horizon.

His lips parted slightly in a smile, his pupils dilated as he took in the scene before him.

-Amazing.

It was the only thing I could say.

What I had seen was not normal.

It wasn't just the magnitude of the explosion, it was how quickly Hades had learned.

He had analyzed his mistake in less than a minute and corrected it without hesitation.

That wasn't just talent.

It was a survival instinct.

Aizawa watched the video where Hades faced the terrorists over and over again.

He analyzed it for several nights and finally now, he finally understood it.

The boy didn't fight to win.

He fought to avoid dying.

It was the difference between someone who trained and someone who fought out of necessity.

Aizawa saw Hades's gaze, the way his smile wasn't just one of satisfaction.

It was hunger.

Hunger to prove that he wasn't a burden.

Hades slowly lowered his arm, his palm still smoking with a faint trace of dark energy dissipating into the air.

His gauntlet hadn't exploded.

Unlike Akemi, who kept biting her lips to endure the pain after her feat, Hades smiled with pure ferocity.

It was the smile of someone who had tasted victory with his own taste buds.

A predatory, almost savage smile.

His red eyes glowed like burning embers.

—Hey, bum.

His voice echoed loudly across the field, drawing all eyes to him.

She lifted her chin, letting the breeze ruffle her jet-black hair.

—I am Hades, God of the Underworld...

He brought the gauntlet to his chest, striking it with his closed fist.

His smile widened even further, showing a flash of madness.

—And I'll never be a fucking burden to anyone!

The weight of his words fell on the class like an electric shock.

Everyone fell silent.

The scene warmed their hearts and their instincts to win. The burning fire and hunger for victory roared steadily within them.

Akemi looked at him with a slight smile of approval.

For the first time, he liked what he heard coming out of her mouth, as he quickly processed the information.

His gaze fell on Hades's blackened gauntlet and his mind raced.

—So... it absorbs the damage taken...

A glimmer of understanding crossed his eyes.

—He can be a top-notch wrecking ball.

He was a living weapon.

A mix between attacker and shield.

If used tactically, it could completely change the dynamics of a battle.

But the others were not as analytical as she was.

Everyone was in shock.

Murmurs began to emerge.

—Did he really make a bigger explosion than Bakugo's?

—How the hell did he do it?

—That guy is something else, damn it, I feel like giving my plus ultra too.

But, of all of them, Bakugo was the one who suffered the most impact.

His jaw was wide open.

Its explosion.

His damn explosion.

It was overcome.

His blood boiled.

Senseless rage welled up inside him and he stepped forward, ready to scream and do something.

But then a hand stopped him, fingers closing firmly around his wrist.

He turned his head to see who stopped him, his brow furrowed when he noticed it was Akemi.

He wanted to scream at her and take her hand away, but she just looked at him calmly.

—Are you going to make a fuss just because someone made a bigger explosion than yours with outside help?

The words were like a nail in his brain.

Bakugo gritted his teeth.

His instinct was, "Push her! Move her aside and go show who's boss!"

But your damn logic...

His damn logic told him otherwise.

Hades needed to take a full power hit to overcome his explosion.

If it was up to someone else to make a bigger explosion...

So he, Bakugo Katsuki, was still superior.

His jaw tightened.

He roughly pulled Akemi's wrist away, growling to himself.

—Tch... damn bastard...

He turned and started walking without looking back.

"That's definitely a grumpy Chihuahua," Akemi murmured, amusement palpable in her voice.

—I heard you, you damn nerd!

She just smiled mockingly.

Meanwhile, Hades walked calmly towards the group, but his expression no longer showed the same emotion.

His right arm lay limp at his side.

His face was now a mask of pure ice.

Akemi frowned at his proximity, and without wasting any more time, she spoke.

—Are you okay, Hades?

"Yes," he replied, his voice sounding dry.

Hagakure, who was among the students, smiled and approached him, excited by what she had just seen.

—You did amazing, Hades-kun!

In a playful gesture, he gave him a small punch on the arm.

Hades's body immediately bent forward.

She stifled a scream in her throat, biting her tongue to keep the pain from escaping.

Everyone heard it.

The sound of her gasp was unmistakable.

It wasn't a gasp of surprise.

It was real pain.

—Fuck you, Akemi!

Akemi narrowed her eyes, and made a surprised face, bringing a hand to her chest exaggerating her discomfort.

—What? It wasn't me this time!

Hades frowned and turned his head sharply.

His crimson eyes burned with anger.

And then, he looked... at the floating uniform.

—Fuck you, invisible girl!

Hagakure, who was slightly frozen by Hades' actions, came back to reality when she didn't hear her name.

—What? You don't remember my name!

Hades grunted, straightening awkwardly.

He was sweating, his arm hanging like a dead weight.

Then, Aizawa approached.

His gaze was cold, but analytical.

—How dislocated is your arm?

Hades looked at him sideways and sighed.

—Enough to not feel it at all.

Aizawa took notes in his notebook and observed in detail.

A faint green glow began to envelop the boy's arm.

And he realized that he was being cured.

Aizawa took in the information and nodded.

He asked no further questions.

He turned and started walking towards the next test.

-Good.

His voice was as firm as ever.

—Let's continue.

And so the class caught their breath and began to follow the teacher.

After a moment, the group of students lined up on the track, some stretching their muscles, others simply preparing their strategy.

Aizawa looked at them with his typical bored expression, but his tone made it clear there was no room for games.

—The next test: endurance race. The longer you last, the better your score.

There were no complaints.

Only a brief silence of concentration before everyone took their position.

Iida flexed his legs, his gaze firm and determined.

Momo, on the other hand, placed her hand on her abdomen, and within seconds, an electric skateboard emerged from her skin.

Hades clicked his tongue, looking at the device that the woman he hated the most had created, and wanting to look away from her, he glanced at Akemi, flexing his arm.

—How does your arm feel?

—At least not like yours, Hades-kun.

He clicked his tongue as he rolled his shoulders, feeling the pain radiating through his body.

Aizawa raised his whistle, his monotonous gaze sweeping over the group.

—I hope they don't do anything stupid...

The group started.

Iida instantly took the lead, like a human bullet train.

Momo gliding effortlessly on her skateboard took second place.

And then... Bakugo and Akemi.

The green-haired girl moved with 2% of One For All, her steps light but powerful.

Bakugo, for his part, refused to be outdone.

—Not in a million years will you beat me at this, you damn nerd!

—Stay back if you don't want to break your pride, you grumpy chihuahua.

—I heard you!

Behind them, Hades ran determinedly, ignoring the pain in his arm.

Several laps passed.

The sound of panting footsteps and heavy breathing filled the dance floor.

So... the first one fell.

Hades felt dizzy.

His breathing quickened, his skin was sticky with cold sweat. His vision blurred.

Akemi turned her head as she watched him stumble.

—Hades, stop! Recovery Girl said your regeneration consumes your own stamina, you need to rest.

But he ignored her.

—Not this time, damn it!

Two laps later...

His body just collapsed.

-Fuck...

But his fall was just the beginning of a domino effect and a game that everyone would be a part of.

Aoyama, right behind him, stopped dead in his tracks, one hand on his chest.

"Oh my God..." he gasped dramatically, staggering back as if he were in a theater.

Koji fell right next to him.

He said nothing, just put a hand to his face, as if he were reflecting on his life.

Afterwards, Hanta and Jiro collided awkwardly and fell together.

—What the fuck!

—I can't feel my legs, you idiot!

Ochako tried to use zero gravity on herself to take the weight off her legs, but ended up on her back on the ground.

—I think my brain... floats...

Tokoyami dramatically knelt down, crossing his arms over his chest.

—the darkness... has devoured my life energy...

Kaminari sank to the ground with a groan.

—Why does my brain hurt...?

Tsuyu collapsed to her knees, while Mina dramatically threw herself down beside her.

—Tsuyu-chan... if we die, let it be in style...

—Kero... I don't think it's that dramatic...

Hagakure disappeared completely.

"Hagakure?" Ojiro asked, looking around for the invisible girl.

"I'm on the ground... dying..." she murmured, her uniform lying warm on the side of the track.

Ojiro collapsed a second later.

Sato was panting as if he was climbing Everest.

—Sugar... I need... sugar!

Kirishima collapsed on his butt, laughing.

—That was very rude!

Todoroki slowly knelt down, not showing a hint of emotion.

-We're done now...?

But the most spectacular fall was that of the explosive boy.

Bakugo growled, teeth gritted.

Akemi kept running, her body vibrating with the pressure of One For All.

—Don't you dare beat me, you damn nerd!

—You're falling behind, Chihuahua.

-Tea!-

He tried to refute, but tripped over his own feet and fell face first onto the ground.

He rolled five meters before stopping, grunting in pain.

Akemi barely looked back, holding back a laugh as she puffed out her cheeks.

Iida fell right after.

Not because he couldn't keep going, but because his exhaust pipes started to heat up.

—My engines... have exceeded the optimal limit.

And there were only two left.

Akemi and Momo.

The wind was hitting his ears.

Akemi felt every muscle in her body burning.

Momo wasn't sweating, she wasn't tired.

Because she had a motorized skateboard.

Akemi closed her eyes, frustrated.

Finally, his body stopped and he slumped dramatically with one hand on his heart.

Momo won.

But he didn't celebrate.

He just gracefully got off the skateboard and looked at Akemi.

—Good race, Midoriya-san.

Akemi breathed heavily.

He didn't answer.

I didn't need to do it.

The test was over.

Aizawa, in a corner, watched the massacre.

Almost his entire class was passed out on the floor.

His eyes narrowed.

—Why did they all fall?

He sighed, holding a mocking laugh on his tired features.

—Troublesome idiots...

After the disastrous endurance race, Class 1-A sat on the ground, some still panting, others half dead.

Aizawa stood in front of them, hands in his pockets.

—Next test: seated toe touch.

A murmur of complaints filled the air.

"Can't we rest?" Hanta let his head fall back.

"It's just stretching, they don't die," Aizawa said, rolling his eyes. "Though with these, who knows..." He mumbled the last part, remembering the scene from a few moments ago.

The students sighed and prepared themselves.

...

Hades sat with his legs extended, his back straight.

His muscles complained as soon as he tried to lean forward.

-Curse...

Little by little, with brute strength rather than flexibility, he managed to touch his toes... although his face was completely red from the effort.

Haruto spoke from his mind.

—Hades, you feel like you're going to explode!

—Shut up, Haruto!

Aizawa wrote down his result.

—Hardly, but achieved.

Aoyama made a great show of his attempt.

—Ohh~! My refined muscles aren't made for this kind of suffering...

He leaned forward slowly, exaggerating each movement.

Finally, he managed to touch his fingers, but he was shaking like jelly.

—Ohoho... my God... does anyone else feel the ground tilting?

"No one," Aizawa said in his monotone.

—Ugh, so cruel, Monsieur Aizawa!

Aizawa ignored him and wrote down the result.

Koji tried.

He really tried.

But his back remained completely straight.

The others looked at him in silence.

"Come on, Koji, you can do it," Mina encouraged him.

He just shook his head and gave up.

-...No.

Aizawa simply wrote "No" on his board.

Hanta leaned in confidently... and stood halfway.

—Wait... wait... almost...

—No —Aizawa interrupted him.

—Let me try again!

-No.

—A few more seconds!

—If you don't do it in five seconds, you didn't do it.

Hanta sighed in defeat.

Jiro grunted as he leaned forward.

—Damn legs, cooperate...

With a last effort, his fingers touched her toes.

—Yes! I did it!

Bakugo clicked his tongue from the side, amused by the scene.

—You look like you're giving birth.

—Do you want to die?

Aizawa took note without flinching.

Ochako tried with all her might.

But his body didn't want to cooperate.

—Almost... almost... Ahhh, I can't!

He slumped dramatically backward.

—I can't believe I lost to flexibility...

Tokoyami bowed effortlessly.

—The shadow inside me knows no physical limits.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say," Kaminari murmured, sitting next to him.

Kaminari bowed with great effort, his face red.

"Yes! I did it!" he shouted, but his excitement plummeted when the cracking sound in his bones brought him back to reality.

Then he fell on his back, not moving.

—...Guys, I think I broke something.

Tsuyu folded like rubber.

Without any effort, he touched her fingers.

—Kero.

The rest of the group looked at her with envy, while Hades looked at her with genuine curiosity.

Mina leaned over and touched her fingers like it was the easiest thing in the world.

—Ha! Natural flexibility, babies!

—Tsk... —Bakugo looked away in annoyance.

Hagakure bowed.

Or so it seemed.

—Did I make it?

Everyone looked at her in silence.

"I guess," Aizawa said, jotting down a "???" in his notebook.

Ojiro bowed slowly.

—Come on... come on...

Her tail wagged with effort, trying to help him.

Finally, he managed to touch his fingers.

-Yeah!

—You cheated with the tail.

—I didn't do it!

Mezo did it without difficulty.

Everyone looked at him with envy.

"Being a mutant has its advantages," he commented calmly.

Sato gasped as he bent down.

—Why is this harder than lifting weights?

"Because you don't build flexibility," Mina replied.

—Don't talk nonsense...

Finally, he touched her fingers.

Aizawa scored without interest.

Kirishima bowed slowly.

His body shook with the exertion.

—A man never gives up!

"But it does break," Tokoyami muttered.

Finally, he managed to touch his fingers.

—Yes! I did it! Hahaha!

Todoroki did it without a problem.

He didn't even seem to try.

—...That was easy, —he muttered, but no one heard him.

Bakugo quickly bent down, touched his fingers without difficulty, and straightened up in a second.

—Can we move on to something less stupid?

Iida bowed seriously.

But his movements were robotic and clumsy.

Finally, he made it.

—Discipline and perseverance!

"You look like a rusty robot," Bakugo said, drawing a few small laughs from the students.

Akemi bent down, her body still sore from the run.

—Come on... damn body...

Finally, he managed to touch his fingers.

—Haha... it's no big deal.

But when she tried to straighten up, her muscles trembled and brought her to her knees.

-Shit.

Bakugo laughed at the scene.

—Hahaha, that's what you get for being a nerd and not touching the grass!

Akemi gave him a murderous look, but that only increased the blonde's satisfaction.

Momo did it gracefully and effortlessly.

—Well, that wasn't difficult.

Everyone looked at her with equal parts contempt and envy.

After the flexibility test, class 1-A barely had the energy to continue standing.

But Aizawa wouldn't let them rest so easily.

—Next exercise: Crunches, do groups of two to hold your legs.

"Another endurance exercise?" they complained in chorus.

Aizawa looked at them with a small smile.

—Don't complain, just get started.

The terror in their eyes was palpable.

Hades lay on the ground, preparing for torture.

Mina, who was at his side, decided to join him and knelt in front of him to hold his feet, but she didn't miss the opportunity to tease him.

—God? Are you ready to sweat like a pig?

Hades glared at her.

—Shut your mouth and do your job.

Mina smiled flirtatiously and leaned in a little closer, looking at him with amused eyes.

—You know, when I saw you summoning that explosion, I imagined you were strong, but flexibility and endurance don't seem to be your thing.

Hades twitched.

—What are you implying?

—You have the body of an old man.

—Tch! Shut up, you pink-colored, irritating mortal!

Hades started strong, but his bad mood and the persistent pain in his arm caused him to expend energy too quickly.

Mina kept laughing.

—Come on, God, at least do twenty before you pass out.

Hades grunted and continued, but after a few minutes, he fell back, exhausted.

-Damn!

Mina leaned over him with a mocking smile.

—Aw, poor thing, do you want me to fan you?

—I'm going to make you swallow dirt, Rosada!

Aizawa wrote down his result without looking at them.

Besides...

Aoyama lay down on the floor dramatically.

Hagakure, unmoved, took her feet with enthusiasm.

—Come on, Aoyama, show your hero spirit!

—Oh, but I'm not cut out for that kind of effort...!

He stood up once.

He stood up twice.

On the third try, he stopped halfway and collapsed like a sack of potatoes.

—Oh, no... I fell...

"You didn't even last five seconds!" Hagakure protested.

Aizawa sighed.

—First down. Noted.

Koji looked completely terrified by the test.

Ojiro tried to cheer him up.

—Just focus and keep the rhythm.

Koji nodded and started... but after a few sit-ups, his body gave out.

-...No.

Ojiro sighed.

—Well, at least you tried.

Hanta looked confident.

—Watch and learn!

He got up easily... but after a few minutes, his energy began to drain.

Mezo looked at him calmly.

—You're getting tired.

—I'm not tired! I'm on my prime!

Three seconds later, he collapsed.

Mezo just nodded.

—I knew it.

Jiro grunted as he did sit-ups.

—Why the hell are we doing this...?

Sato encouraged her.

—Come on, just a little more!

But Jiro had his limit.

After a few minutes, he fell with a grunt of defeat.

-Shit...

Ochako tried with all her might.

Kirishima encouraged her energetically.

—Come on, Ochako! You're strong! You're manly!

—I'm trying! But my abs say no!

It collapsed dramatically.

Kirishima patted his knee.

—Good effort!

Momo seemed more concerned with her form than her stamina.

—Is my posture okay now? Do I need to align my back more?

Todoroki just looked at her in silence.

Finally, Momo gave up before he could get far.

—Well, this isn't my thing.

Todoroki didn't say anything, but he looked relieved not to have to talk.

Tokoyami moved with effort.

Iida waved his hands in the air excitedly.

—Discipline, Tokoyami! Discipline!

Tokoyami looked at him expressionlessly.

—Silence, talking machine.

After a few minutes, he fell.

Iida looked disappointed.

Kaminari tried to keep up.

Bakugo said nothing, but glared at him.

—Come on, Bakugo, don't be so intense!

—Do the damn sit-ups and shut your mouth!

Kaminari tried to resist, but gave up sooner than expected.

Bakugo just snorted, looking sideways at the one who had just become his greatest rival.

Tsuyu moved without problems.

Akemi focused on the girl's face, slightly drowned in what would happen and the remorse she felt.

But Tsuyu eventually fell, sticking her tongue out slightly.

—Kero... that was difficult.

Akemi smiled slightly at him.

—It wasn't that bad.

Aizawa wrote down the results and prepared for the second round.

The class was still trying to catch their breath, but Aizawa was merciless.

—Now it's the turn of those who helped before.

The laments were immediate.

"But we just finished!" Kaminari moaned.

—It's not my problem. Let's get started.

The support group now lay on the floor in resignation, ready to suffer.

Hades knelt in front of Mina with a malicious smile.

Mina, seeing him, gave him a flirtatious smile.

—I hope you hold my feet well, God.

—Don't worry, Mortal Rose. I'll make sure you fail with dignity.

Mina smiled back, unafraid.

—Pff, so you're holding a grudge because you fell so quickly?

Hades crossed his arms.

—I'm not spiteful. I just make sure mortals pay for their offenses.

Mina winked at him.

—You know you could just call me by my name instead of "pink mortal"?

—Denied, Mortal Rose. Now it begins.

Mina snorted and started on the sit-ups.

Hades, merciless, decided to take revenge in the best way possible: a taste of his own medicine.

—Wow, you're moving very slowly. Aren't your muscles just for show?

Mina grunted and picked up the pace.

—I can do this all afternoon.

—It doesn't look like it. Your face is turning pink.

—That's how I was born! Besides, I'm not getting tired!

—Yes, you are. You remind me of a ripe tomato with legs.

Mina glared at him, still doing sit-ups.

—You didn't even get far in this test!

—But at least he didn't look like a fish out of water.

Mina tensed, feeling her rhythm unravel with rage.

—I'm going to hit you!

—With those noodle legs? I doubt it.

Mina gritted her teeth and tried to hold on, but frustration, combined with accumulated fatigue, caused her to collapse to the floor with a groan of defeat.

—You're a fool!

Hades shrugged.

—Tell me something I don't know, silly.

Mina glared at him, but seeing his triumphant expression, she threw a water bottle in his face.

Hades caught her effortlessly.

—I accept your offering, Mortal Rose.

Mina growled.

-Idiot.

Aizawa wrote them down on his board without even looking at them.

—Mina, out.

...

Aoyama held Hagakure's feet gently, in her classic diva pose.

—Cheer up, my dear! Shine brightly in this very... mundane trial.

Hagakure started her sit-ups, but her breathing quickly became heavy.

—Hnnng... this is harder than it looks...

Aoyama nodded dramatically.

—Of course! But don't worry, I'll give you the most glamorous support you can imagine.

Hagakure kept trying, but then she noticed something strange.

—Wait... why are you holding my ankles with your eyes closed?

Aoyama grimaced.

—Well... you see... it's just that... um...

He leaned in slightly and lowered his voice.

—I don't know where you are exactly and I'm afraid to look in the wrong place.

Hagakure was silent for a moment.

—...Aoyama, I'm here, just look at the empty space where my head should be.

—But I can't see you, my dear!

Hagakure sighed and sank to the ground.

—I already lost.

Aoyama smiled radiantly.

—At least you lost in style!

Hagakure raised an invisible thumb.

—I guess so.

Aizawa sighed, writing it down in his notebook.

Ojiro started doing sit-ups at a good pace, but noticed his feet were slipping.

—Koji, more firmly.

Koji tried to hold him better, but he was still too nervous.

—I-I try...

On Koji's third attempt to get a firm grip, Ojiro simply slipped and fell on his back.

—...I'm going to pretend that didn't happen.

Koji nodded uncomfortably.

-Me too...

Hanta watched as Mezo did sit-ups without even breaking a sweat.

—Bro, this isn't fair.

Mezo continued moving calmly.

-Because?

—Because you have like 40 arms!

Mezo blinked.

—And what does that have to do with my abs?

Hanta opened his mouth, but couldn't find a logical answer.

—...I don't know, but I still feel cheated.

Jiro was holding Sato's feet, but the size difference was absurd.

Sato was going up and down hard, and every time he did so, Jiro would stagger.

...

TO BE CONTINUED.