[1st Test: 50 Meters Dash]
The very first test of the gauntlet.
A 50-meters sprinting test.
Simple as it seemed, everyone was feeling the threat behind this seemingly ordinary athletic trial…
And the one who embodied that threat, Aizawa-sensei, didn't waste time.
He called out with a lazy, yet sharp, no-nonsense tone, "Iida, Asui. You're both first."
"Yes, sir!"
"Yes, sir, kero."
The serious, bespectacled young man and the frog-like young woman stepped forward, promptly taking their places on the pre-prepared two-lane sprint track, side by side.
They lowered themselves into position, each settling into their most natural running stance, as the others watched in tense silence.
A single camera had been set up at the finish line—a high-tech camera that would record everything with precise scrutiny...!
["On your mark."]
A robotic announcement came from it too, loud enough for everyone to hear—!
["Get set."]
Both runners tensed, muscles coiled, eyes locked on the finish line ahead—ready to explode forward—!
["Go!"]
[BANG—!!!]
With the faux gunshot rang in the air, both runners launched into motion—!
But—
Iida, using his Quirk-enhanced legs, surged forward with almost mechanical precision—leaving Asui trailing in his wake, dust kicked up behind him!
He powered down the short track like a silver streak of light—!
His every step calculated—!
Every stride optimal—!
["3.03 seconds!"]
—and he passed the finish line with what should be the fastest running speed record for the test...!
On the other hand…
Asui kept her own rhythm, leaping with long, springy bounds! She used her strong legs to lunge forward, clearing impressive distances with each jump.
And eventually—
["5.50 seconds!"]
She crossed the finish line with a solid record of her own...!
The audience was impressed by her choice of movement. While Iida's performance was indeed impressive...
"Hmm~, that's an interesting way of traversing the track," Izuku commented with interest, his eyes locked on Asui's unique physiology, "so... running isn't just the only option for us, huh?"
"Yeah, anything goes with this one," Katsuki muttered beside him with mild interest.
"Allowing the usage of our quirks really opens up tons of possibilities, isn't it?" Ochako chimed in to their conversation, standing on Izuku's other side—
"Who the hell asked your opinion?" Katsuki immediately snapped at the brunette young woman...!
"Hihhh—!?!"
Ochako yelped in fear at the intense death glare that was directed at her, quickly hiding behind Izuku's figure.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Izuku inquired with a tilted head, not sure why these two were at each other's throats.
Fortunately, she was saved by the call—
"Next. Ojiro. Uraraka," Aizawa-sensei called out.
"Yes, sir!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
One student with a giant tail as his quirk stepped forward, followed by Ochako herself—leaving behind a still confused Izuku, and a glaring Katsuki.
When they stepped onto the starting line, both of them prepared themselves.
Ochako used her quirk, Zero Gravity, on her clothes.
"This should lighten the weight...!"
Meanwhile , the giant tail user, Ojiro, coiled his appendage tightly behind him—seemingly storing energy in it like a spring...!
And the result—
["5.30 seconds!"]
The tailed young man finished first, launching himself with his tail to propel forward in great bursts of speed...!
And followed by Ochako—
["7.10 seconds!"]
She ran normally with her feet and finally crossed the line with a relatively decent time.
However, to her...
"...It's barely faster than my high school's time..."
She wasn't satisfied with the result, making it apparent that not every quirk would offer much of an advantage in this test.
"Hmph, what a useless quirk," Katsuki commented harshly; still clearly annoyed by the brunette young woman's very existence.
"Now, now, Kacchan," Izuku lightly chided her cold attitude, "you shouldn't underestimate our classmates."
"Tch... whatever."
Her sharp retort, though, earned a small chuckle from him.
And the test moved on with its steady pace.
A few more students stepped forward upon being called by Aizawa-sensei, each using their own quirks with varying degrees of success and times.
There was the 'pink' young woman who secreted some kind of liquid from the soles of her feet, letting her 'skate' down the track with surprising speed.
Then there was the navel laser young man—the same one Izuku had noticed during U.A.'s entrance exam—who fired his beam backward to launch himself forward in rapid bursts of propulsion.
They all did their best with their own quirks...
And eventually...
"Bakugou and... Midoriya," Aizawa-sensei called, directing his lazy gaze toward the two childhood friends. "You're both next."
"Yes, sir."
"Yes, sir~."
They both promptly stepped forward to the starting line.
Izuku offered a small, quiet grin toward Katsuki.
"These tests are gonna be a piece of cake for you, huh, Kacchan~?" he remarked softly, words of casual teasing for her.
Katsuki's scowl twitched slightly at his cheeky tone. But...
A faint, almost-hidden smile tugged at her lips along with a small blush.
"They sure will," she replied with a smirk, "but I'm gonna make sure I beat everyone here—including you, Izuku."
"Haha~, I'll try my best not to disappoint."
They soon arrived at the starting line, taking their place on each lane and lowered themselves into their running stance.
But... for these two...
There was a tense silence in the air...!
But the anticipation wasn't coming from them specifically.
It came... from a select few individuals in the sidelines who knew something 'special' about one of the runners.
["On your mark."]
One such particular...
Iida Tenya watched with a stiff expression, recalling the entrance exam—remembering the moment he'd seen Midoriya Izuku in action.
'Will he run at the same speed as me...? Or will he use 'that' in this test...?'
["Get set..."]
Then... there was Aizawa-sensei.
Unlike before, where he'd shown almost no interest in the previous runners... his eyes were fixed on Izuku, as if waiting for 'something' to happen.
Then—
["GO!"]
They both instantly launched forward!
At first, both of them ran normally with their feet, but—
"Explosive..."
Katsuki swung both of her hands back—palms sparking with ignition!
"...Speed!!!"
And explosions burst from her palms—! Blasting her forward like a rocket with tremendous speed—!
["4.01 seconds!"]
—And she crossed the line in a blazing finish!
But then, trailing behind her—
["5.20 seconds!"]
Izuku also crossed the finish line with an impressive speed!
They slowed to a stop past the finish line, with Katsuki somewhat panting as she caught her breath after using her quirk.
"That was awesome, Kacchan~!" Izuku praised with a grin.
She gave him a small grin back, always delighted to hear his praise—
But suddenly, she noticed something...
She stared at Izuku's grinning face... and realized 'something.'
"...? What's wrong, Kacchan?"
"...It's nothing."
Still... she wasn't the only one to see this 'anomaly' from him.
Aizawa-sensei, watching from the distance... narrowed his eyes sharply.
"...So that's how you're gonna 'play,' huh..."
Then, he turned back toward the rest of the class—
"Next—!"
And so, the first test continued, one student after another, until everyone had their run.