Episode 10. Part V.

As I approached the hundred-meter dash—which, by the way, turned out to be a fifty-meter dash, which wasn't great—I was already gearing up for victory.

Yes, I decided to compete. And give it a shot.

But this wasn't a senseless risk. Or at least, not entirely. As I mentioned before, even if I get busted now for not having a power-boosting quirk, I have a plan for what to say... and it's not that big of a deal. The important thing is to hide at least something. I just need to make it to the USJ. Once there, it'll become obvious that I'm not a spy, and besides, I'll end up showing my full abilities there anyway.

Right now, though, thanks to Aizawa's little "reward," I had a very specific reason to push myself, even for the faintest chance...

Reasons that had been hanging over my head like a sword of Damocles.

Here's the thing: if I objectively compare everyone in the class... in a fight, I'd pretty much wipe the floor with almost all of them. I'm just better.

Sure, my judgment might be clouded by the afterglow of getting accepted into U.A. and some pride over beating the robot. But still.

At this stage, only Bakugo, Todoroki, and maybe Iida could give me any real trouble—purely because of his speed. That's it. If you don't count the girls, who know my fighting style, but even they wouldn't last more than a few minutes if I started using delayed markers. As for Toga, I don't think she'd be a problem right now either.

Then there's Kiyotaka... maybe him too. I still don't know what to expect from him.

Most of my classmates, though, while having massive potential and quirks that are no less impressive than mine, just don't use them optimally. When I look at them, I see unrefined chunks of ore, raw gems that haven't met the right blacksmith. People who could—and should—be "leveled up," made stronger, taught how to use their quirks more efficiently, given a foundation in martial arts, shown how to attack properly...

But that's why they enrolled in the academy, right?

The problem is, we don't have three years for training.

We'll be lucky if we have six months.

And here we arrive at my big problem.

The fact is, I really am stronger than every single one of them.

At the moment.

I've trained more. I'm better prepared. I use my quirk to its fullest potential. I've even broken and bypassed some of its "limiters," turning myself into a truly versatile and battle-ready fighter. Fast, agile, strong—capable of tracking opponents, ambushes, and sudden long-range attacks.

I've realized my potential. They haven't.

But in terms of this raw potential... I'm not better than Iida, Setsuna, or Uraraka. And I'm significantly—massively—outclassed by Bakugo, Todoroki, Toga, Momo, and, of course, Midoriya. Maybe even Tokoyami.

Because when the real battles begin, when life-and-death fights start happening, these clueless kids will start developing at an insane rate. Their combat abilities will shoot up, and their massive potential will begin to unfold.

But mine is already maxed out.

The last few month, maybe a year, my progress has been slowing down until it pretty much came to a halt. Training just stopped giving results. My strength was enough to beat Yui and Setsuna... and that's it. My maximum amplification level stopped growing. I wasn't getting faster or stronger. I couldn't hold more markers. I couldn't place them at longer distances. New techniques and tactics? Didn't work. Or just wouldn't develop.

It was logical and predictable. I've been training for twelve years... You can't keep drawing water from a well forever—the volume is finite, and I've drained mine. But that didn't make it any less terrifying: I realized that this was it. I'd hit my ceiling.

And there is no time left anymore.

The accelerated run I was about to try now to outrun Iida was the last theoretically usable technique I'd developed over the years. And like the rest—after the jump techniques, spatial mapping, the "All Might punch," and a few other tricks—it was risky and not really tested.

One of the reasons I was so eager for a real fight during the entrance exam was because I hoped to break through some barrier in my abilities by giving it my all and becoming stronger. Even just a little.

Spoiler: it didn't work. Even after smashing half my body against that "Yui-enhanced" robot and feeling like I had one foot in the grave, I didn't feel stronger. Maybe because I knew the pro-heroes would step in if things got too bad. Whatever. It doesn't matter now.

That's it. This is my limit. The finish line.

Even if I come up with a few more tricks down this line; even if I manage to use delayed markers effectively, saving them for the crucial moment; even if a life-or-death fight in the Stimulation Joint pushes me a little further... I won't get much stronger.

When I finally came to terms with that, it hit hard.

Chances are, after the attack on the USJ and the annual sports festival, some of these barely fledged kids will surpass me and leave me far behind. I remember what they did in the anime. I know I can't do that now and won't be able to in the future.

I know it; I understand it; but I still refuse to accept it.

Deep down, I think I still see myself as the protagonist of this story.

But whatever happens next, until the villains attack my class, I am its strongest student. And also the oldest. And that's why I'm going to bust my ass to make sure everyone survives and the villains walk away empty-handed.

I've had time to come to terms with the fact that I've stopped getting stronger and to come up with a plan. Several plans, actually. After all, if I can train and level up almost everyone I've met, why can't I find ways to make myself stronger?

I can.

So if I can't get stronger through training and techniques anymore... then I'll get stronger through a suit, armor, and gadgets. I had big plans for my U.A. suit, but what Aizawa is offering might give me even more.

So, I need to win while I still can. That's all.

***

... we could run the fifty meters in pairs.

So, after a quick warm-up, where I hopped and stretched on the ground, pretending to warm up—but actually placing five markers on my feet, hands, and back—I walked up to the first pair, Iida and Tsuyu, and, looking straight into the slightly nervous guy's face, asked to take her place.

Asui didn't argue; I think she's a little afraid of me.

Well, fine with me, frog girl.

As for Tenya...

Yes, I need to make all of you stronger—and I will. Yes, even if it kills me. Even you, you bespectacled hypocrite. You seem like a decent person if the anime is to be trusted.

But for that to happen, some of you actually need the opposite of what Aizawa demands—losing your sense of superiority first. We've already started with Momo; now it's your turn.

When I heard about Iida and Bakugo butting heads, I learned that the speedster had attended the prestigious Somei private academy, which is a pretty big deal, and he comes from a whole dynasty of "speed" heroes like his brother Ingenium. A real golden boy. But I think his biggest pride is his quirk—those amazing engine legs that let him run as fast as a race car.

So, if I can show him that his much-vaunted speed isn't so special right now—and it's not, because there are at least four others in this class capable of matching or exceeding that speed—then maybe he'll finally realize he has no right to dictate how others should live their lives. Fix yourself first, genius.

That way, he'll start working on himself, listening to others, respecting their opinions... maybe even buy himself some contacts. In an ideal world.

Either that or he'll break.

Remember when I talked about the "village genius syndrome"?

But if his confidence and usefulness in battle can be shattered by something like this, he would've broken down eventually anyway. And weak links are useless in war.

I took my place next to Iida...

"I'll just stand over here."

... and snapped my mind into combat mode.

The world slowed down. Sometimes I think that this isn't an illusion but a secondary manifestation of my quirk factor.

Still, it's not all grim: Setsuna didn't break down; she pulled herself together, gritted her teeth, and quickly leveled up—even though her case was much worse.

Tenya shoved his nerves aside, adjusted his glasses, and focused straight ahead. He didn't look at me. Well, one point of respect for you...

I crouched down and planted my hands in the sand.

To my right, Iida did the same.

"On your mark..." came the robot's shrill voice from the finish line. "Get set..."

I dug my feet deeper into the blocks.

The gunshot.

I shot forward, activating the marker from the jump in my left leg, and a moment later, to keep my balance, my right.

The wind hit my face.

Iida immediately pulled ahead by half a body.

I stretched my right leg forward, compensating for balance with a swing of my left arm, and touched the ground. Another burst from my right...

Iida was a body length ahead. White smoke was billowing from the pipes sticking out of his legs.

My left foot hit the ground, and I activated the burst...

Iida was already half a meter ahead...

I kept picking up speed, but so did Tenya.

If we were running the full hundred meters, my accelerated run would've really shined. But I think fifty will do. I wasn't too afraid to use it now; I had U.A. on my side, and U.A. had Recovery Girl. Besides, there's no massive concrete wall ahead for me to risk smashing into like a fly hitting a windshield.

So, let's go.

Digging the right sneaker into the sandy surface for the second time, I activated two markers at once.

It exploded under my foot.

It felt like someone had slammed a sledgehammer into my sole, and with my teeth gritted, I shot half a meter into the air—and snatched another two meters ahead.

I caught up to Iida.

Next step... even a light touch of the ground with my left toes...

The double impulse launched me forward, wind stung my eyes so sharply it made them water. I cleared three—no, four meters in one go...

But it wasn't enough!

I scraped the sand with the tip of my right toe, leaning forward as much as I could... I could barely touch the ground properly anymore... the double explosion underfoot threw my body into a real flight, drawing a muffled yelp from behind...

Not enough!

Left foot, double burst, push-off, flying forward!

Still not enough!

A springy wave pushed me from behind—I tried to make the marker a "softer" one this time—and I flew the last five meters at a speed I'd never hit before in my life. I didn't even have time to see anything. Only the white line underfoot flashed by...

And I crossed the finish line.

First.

"Twooo poooiiint tweeentyyyy-fiiiveee seeecooonds..." squeaked the robot, blown to the side by the wind.

Surprisingly, it all happened in just two seconds. Incredible, I love this world.

I even managed to grin as I flew past, and then the momentum carried me off into the distance.

Brake markers, sharp arm swings in front of me... I mean, I was trying to stop, and it wasn't far from the truth...

The speed didn't slow down much.

"Ay-ay-ay!"

Now all I had left was to brake with my feet, the old-fashioned way. Or maybe not just the feet...

It's fine. There's a long, empty road ahead...

***

As you see, even when I reached the limits of my abilities, I continued to search for ways to use my quirk more effectively.

That's how I discovered the possibility of placing markers on my own body.

Not only by hand but also by touching the ground with my soles.

And as I was setting markers on my feet and hands like this, I thought: "I could set a marker with every step, essentially turning the ground beneath me into a minefield, right?"

So that meant... in the moment of contact, I was setting TWO markers, mirrored—one on the sole of my shoe and the other on the ground that the sole touched.

And that meant... I could activate them simultaneously, right?

The essence of my usual jumps, my method of running with the help of my quirk, boiled down to the fact that I seemed to have bypassed the limitations of my quirk.

I can't enhance impacts indirectly; I can't amplify the force caused by my own strengthening.

However, by turning my body into a living projectile, I managed to push the boundaries of what was possible: converting some of the momentum into a new, regular step, and then amplifying that step—or rather jump—that absorbed part of the impulse from my quirk.

As a result, with each of my steps, even ordinary ones, I accelerated.

We're only talking about a ten to fifteen percent increase with each jump. I can accelerate in geometric progression, but the acceleration rate is still low. Normally.

But even that wouldn't be enough to outpace Tenya Iida, who can move at the speed of a race car and reach top speed almost instantly. If I understood his quirk correctly, he couldn't reach maximum speed on such a short distance either—which was actually good for me, since I didn't have time to accelerate to a speed incompatible with my survival.

Well...

I grinned as I hobbled back—covered in dirt, dust, and sand. I'd managed to stop without a humiliating fall, as braking on a track without obstacles wasn't too hard—just dig your feet into the ground, like a long jump, and release a braking impulse first from one foot, then the other, before dissipating the rest of the momentum with a roll. Though, a roll in the sand was no picnic.

But—I survived.

I started brushing myself off as I walked.

Now, time to sum things up.

First of all, my double-enhanced run worked perfectly.

I didn't crash into the ground, nor did I tear my legs off.

Though, to be honest, my feet hurt quite a bit. Less than I expected, but more than after that sprint to the wall.

Still grinning.

I wouldn't need my legs much for the remaining tests today anyway... and after that, I could swing by the nurse's office. Or crawl there.

During that run, I wasn't just blowing up the ground—and my foot—with each touch. I was landing after a prolonged, powerful jump, during which my movement slowed slightly, and upon touching the ground, I set two markers at once—on the ground and on my foot. Then I pushed off, and the inertia carried me forward. Then I activated the markers on my foot, launching me further forward. Up to this point, it was my usual jump technique.

And only then, almost immediately but still a fraction of a second later, I used the mirrored markers left on the ground under my soles. As a result, a significant portion of the impact was absorbed by the ground, but some of it still went into the air—boosting my speed. More than I expected, and with less danger than I'd feared. Which couldn't help but bring some satisfaction.

In fact, I was detonating mines beneath myself. All according to Newton's third law.

Of course, I didn't consciously do all this—it all happened in a couple of seconds. But figuring out and calculating the logic of the process took a lot of time when I first theorized it.

And secondly...

Nobody ran after me.

Nobody ran because there was no track left to run on.

Instead of a neat track, a chain of craters formed, each larger than the last. Dust hung in the air, so thick I could barely see my classmates.

In the middle of it all sat Iida, covered in dust, staring blankly into space. I later found out that not only did he fail to come in first, but he didn't even finish—my final, most powerful explosion, the one that secured my victory, happened right in front of him and literally knocked him off the track.

Honestly, I felt bad for him.

I walked past him.

I also felt bad for Setsuna.

When I approached my classmates, brushing off the dust, they were huddled around Aizawa like ducklings behind their mother, staring at me. Setsuna discreetly gave me a thumbs-up, and I smiled slightly. Then I caught an evaluating, unsmiling look from Himiko Toga.

"Where are you looking, Niren? She'll devour you..." I thought, unamused.

"I said not to hold back, not to destroy school property," said our not-so-classy teacher dryly.

I grinned crookedly.

"Well, at least it was unfair for the other classmates, right? And you said unfair was good."

Aizawa just yawned.

"And I also said heroes fix unfair situations. So, fix it."

Shrugging, I turned back toward the dust cloud. There were figures moving inside. As I got closer, I saw that Iida had already left, and cleaning robots, like the one with the camera, were restoring the track. Fancy equipment they have here...

Digging my heels into the ground, I clapped my hands as hard as I could, grimacing and summoning a double impulse, which sent me skidding a meter across the ground. The impulse was strong, my arms spread wide as if I were trying to grab a giant rubber ball.

The blast of wind cleared most of the dust. I coughed.

I don't know if an average power-enhancing quirk user could do this, but All Might certainly could. He could create a hurricane with a single punch, after all. So... Hulk smash!

It took three more double claps to clear the dust cloud almost completely. And another couple of minutes for the rest of it to settle. I'm sure they have a robot vacuum or fan that could have blown it away in seconds... the teacher, who was watching me closely, was starting to irritate me.

Fine, he said it, I did it. All for the higher goal.

Now, in addition to my aching feet, my hands were stinging.

Though my hands were used to it; I maneuver using impulses with my hands all the time.

What next?

I returned to the group, the next pair started their test, Aizawa gave an indifferent nod—and pointed to the scattered classmates. So we were all taking turns and gathering around here instead of quickly getting through everything.

I sighed. But at least we got to see each other's strengths and weaknesses. From a time-management perspective, it wasn't the most efficient, but it was a good way to familiarize ourselves with each other as fledgling superheroes.

Oh well, I'll take it.

I walked over to my classmates, watching the others out of the corner of my eye. Ochako, paired with Toga, made all her clothes weightless. Hmm, her control is pretty good... but she still finished in seven-something seconds, and a slightly grim Himiko beat her without using any quirk.

Setsuna simply flew over the distance in about five seconds.

Bakugo, blasting with explosions from his hands stretched behind him, flew over in four. Though, really, what are those explosions compared to mine... I chuckled, earning another angry glare. Midoriya, running after him, took seven... the guy was breathing heavily, his fingers gripping his knees so hard they turned white. He was stressed. Then, frowning, he raised his head resolutely.

Yui... that clever girl got a pencil from somewhere, enlarged it to the size of a pole, and after getting a running start, planted it at an angle into the ground a third of the way. Then the pencil grew even larger—and just pushed her to the finish line, right past a shocked Yaoyorozu, who reached the end on skates she'd created with her quirk. I don't think Snowflake significantly improved her time, but it was a solid attempt.

Aoyama threw in a dramatic line about creativity in quirk usage, turned his back, and leaped into the air, flying backward with a laser from his belly. I even whistled. So, that blue sparkly beam transmits not, say, heat energy but kinetic? So, he can actually fly with it? Oh, the possibilities... if only he could channel it through his hands and feet like I do with my quirk, and...

The metrosexual blonde fell to the ground two-thirds of the way, struggled to his feet, jumped again, and barely made it to the line. The effect was ruined, and he decided to explain that his stomach starts hurting if he fires the laser for too long.

In my classmate ranking, Aoyama quickly dropped to the bottom, somewhere below Iida.

Finally, the last pair was Mina Ashido and Kiyotaka Shinya—the acid girl and the fog guy, respectively.

And that's when I was stunned.