The New Stakes
Aizawa's declaration hung heavy in the air, the playful excitement of the students instantly crushed by the weight of the expulsion threat.
"But that's not fair! We fought to get here!" stammered Denki Kaminari, his face pale.
"Life isn't fair, and this is U.A. I can do what I want," Aizawa's voice sliced back. His tired eyes gleamed with cold severity. "Welcome to the hero course."
The dread was palpable—but Tsubaki felt something else rise beneath it.
Focus.
The stakes had been raised to exactly where he preferred them: absolute and unforgiving. He needed to ensure his scores were beyond reproach, not just for pride, but for survival. This wasn't about proving superiority—it was about eliminating risk.
---
Test 1: The 50-Meter Dash
"First up: the 50-meter dash," Aizawa announced.
The students were paired off. Tsubaki found himself facing off against Tenya Iida, the boy with the engine Quirk.
Tsubaki crouched at the starting line, his muscles coiled, feeling the familiar, exciting sting of the cold beginning to pool in his hands.
Propulsion is the key here. Efficiency over distance.
The gun fired.
Iida erupted instantly, his specialized engine calves roaring to life. He was a blur of blue and white, achieving blistering speed through controlled bursts of exhaust.
Tsubaki moved differently. Instead of the ramp he used for the throw, he focused his Quirk into a continuous stream beneath his feet, creating a perfectly smooth, temporary Slick-Ice Runway. He launched forward, using the incredibly low friction to minimize drag, and propelled himself with constant, short, focused bursts of pressurized, super-cooled air directed backward from his palms and the small nozzle-like openings he generated in his gloves.
He slid across the finish line, a cloud of frigid vapor dissipating behind him, only moments after Iida.
Tenya Iida: 3.04 seconds
Tsubaki Todoroki: 4.20 seconds
Tsubaki registered the difference.
Iida's Quirk was inherently superior for sustained, linear speed.
Tsubaki's strategy, however, had maximized his own propulsion potential.
'I'm more than a second slower however it's obvious his quirks linear movements have the advantage but even a loss is a loss' Tsubaki thought he analyzed not only himself but his opponent as well.
---
Test 2: Grip Strength
For the grip strength test, Tsubaki was matched against Rikido Sato and Mashirao Ojiro.
Tsubaki knew pure muscle was not his asset. He held the measuring device tightly in his hand. He didn't just squeeze; he focused his Quirk. He applied a chilling field—not to shatter the device, but to freeze the metal components controlling the needle. By binding the molecular structure of the pressure gauge's internal mechanism, he attempted to create a rigid, unified object.
He crushed the device with all his physical strength.
85 kg.
Decent, but not extraordinary.
---
Tests 3 & 4: Standing Long Jump and Repeated Side Steps
The Standing Long Jump rewarded creativity.
Tsubaki formed a dense, angled ice ramp beneath his feet and launched cleanly past the boundary.
Bakugo blasted himself even farther using controlled explosions.
Ochaco Uraraka floated forward, releasing her Quirk at the apex of her jump to land gracefully beyond expectations.
Momo Yaoyorozu created a collapsible pole mid-motion, vaulting with practiced precision.
Tsuyu Asui cleared the distance with a powerful frog-like leap, landing with effortless balance.
Tsubaki took note of all of it.
The Repeated Side Steps proved more challenging. His Quirk required deliberate deployment and focus, costing reaction speed. He finished squarely mid-tier, movements rigid compared to the elastic and multi-limbed Quirks around him.
He accepted the average score without complaint.
---
Tests 5 & 6: Sit-Ups and Distance Run
Endurance was discipline.
Tsubaki's body had been conditioned to function while constantly fighting cold. He maintained a steady, mechanical pace.
Sit-ups: 120.
One of the highest scores.
In the distance run, he reverted to his Slick-Ice Runway, gliding efficiently while others burned stamina. He finished second, losing only to Iida's relentless engines.
As Kirishima passed him, the red-haired boy flashed a grin.
"That control is insane, Todoroki! You make ice look manly as hell!"
Tsubaki exhaled lightly.
"It's just efficiency. But… I appreciate it."
Kirishima laughed. "Still counts!"
---
Test 7: The Final Ball Throw
Only one student remained.
Midoriya Izuku.
The screen behind Aizawa confirmed it—dead last.
Midoriya stared at the ranking. His hands trembled as he raised the ball to throw.
Before he could release it—
Aizawa's eyes glowed red.
"Midoriya," he said calmly, "if you throw it like that, will you break your arm?"
Midoriya froze.
"A hero who can't manage their own power is a liability," Aizawa continued. "Think. I'll erase your Quirk mid-throw if I have to."
Midoriya's breathing quickened.
Then—realization.
He adjusted his grip.
Focused.
And threw using only his finger.
The crack was sharp and sickening.
The ball vanished into the sky. Midoriya was smiling like a maniac as he looked at our sensei.
705.3 meters.
For a moment, no one breathed.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
"That was ONE FINGER?!"
Bakugo snapped.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" He detonated forward in a violent burst of explosions.
Aizawa's scarf lashed out instantly, binding him as Bakugo's Quirk was erased mid-charge. Bakugo froze, eyes wide with disbelief and rage.
Tsubaki didn't move.
That output… with a fraction of engagement.
He looked at Midoriya's shattered finger.
Power like that… costs everything if left unchecked.
For the first time, Tsubaki revised his internal model of the green haired boy he dismissed at the start.
Midoriya wasn't average.
He was a person with a lot of power and no control.
---
The Final Ranking
Aizawa released Bakugo and displayed the rankings.
1. Yaoyorozu Momo
2. Todoroki Tsubaki
3. Todoroki Shoto
4. Bakugo Katsuki
5. Iida Tenya
6. Uraraka Ochaco
7. Kirishima Eijiro
8. Tsuyu Asui
9. Shoji Mezo
10. Tokoyami Fumikage
11. Ojiro Mashirao
12. Sato Rikido
13. Jiro Kyoka
14. Kaminari Denki
15. Sero Hanta
16. Ashido Mina
17. Hagakure Toru
18. Koda Koji
19. Aoyama Yuga
20. Midoriya Izuku
"The expulsion threat was a rational deception," Aizawa explained.
"It forces students to reveal their true limits."
"I figured as much," Momo said calmly.
Aizawa nodded.
"Good."
---
Aftermath
Tsubaki stared at the rankings.
Second.
Momo's versatility.
Shoto's raw potential.
Bakugo's explosiveness.
Iida's speed.
Midoriya's terrifying ceiling.
U.A. wasn't as easy as he thought it'd be.
It was competitive.
As he walked off the field, Bakugo snarled behind him.
"Todoroki! Don't get cocky just because you ranked above me! I don't care if you got a higher score than me in the entrance exam. You're just another extra I'll beat to be at the top!"
Tsubaki didn't look back.
But for the first time, he understood something clearly.
He wasn't ahead.
He hadn't reached the top.
The truth is that if he's not above people his age he can't even be compared to the pros at the top, not even close. U.A had resources and the teachers who could train him to reach new heights after all the top heroes in Japan are from here however the students here can't just be overlooked as everyone wants to be Number 1 U.A is full of competition he needs to beat.
The thought of competition made him smirk as excitement flowed through his veins; he trained himself to be controlled yet he couldn't deny the opportunity in front of him. This was what he needed: he would use U.A as a platform for his ambition and stand tall for the world to notice and for that man to regret.
It was ironic his quirk was ice however however his first day at U.A fired him up he was ready.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Author's note
Hope you enjoyed the chapter
Drop power stones if you like the story and want more.