Chapter Twelve

Glacier spikes shot out at the other side of the tunnel and Todoroki was leading the way, his right foot continuing to freeze the ground while he ran. His ice froze the players but many managed to avoid it using their Quirk, such as most of Class A.

That's what Kuroiro reported. The tunnel was dim enough for him to travel through the shadows and spectate the central players and coming back swiftly. Observing the scene, using the walls was the only option to get through faster. He managed to grab Komori in the process while the rest of Class B worked resourcefully.

Shiozaki had enough sunlight and water for her vines as she made them sprawl at the one side and using it also to lift herself up from the crowd, those who depend on their strength and body size climbed their way through it, some carrying their classmates by their backs. Pony shot enough Horn Cannons, and with the help of Yanagi's Poltergeist and Monoma's Copy, they maneuver them to carry the rest by their clothes. The boy checked if everybody was on the move, but no sign of [Y/N].

Crap. He hasn't talked to her for two weeks of training, but it doesn't mean no fellow classmate friend left behind. His plan was for their group, to gather enough information about the rival class and securing a spot for the next round. She wasn't wearing any earrings, and it'll be useless to if she had it—there was no light in the tunnel.

Too cramped, too crowded, and no objects. She doesn't have enough space to fling her cards or hit a target. He entrusted (and successfully keeping the wariness about him and [Y/N] low) Pony to deliver the plan to the girl, hoping that she'd agree on it despite his sudden leave.

"What the heck?!" Monoma heard Kaibara exclaimed. He whipped his head, seeing his classmate on the other side of the wall, drilling holes by his feet that was deep enough for him to run through. And catching up with him was [Y/N].

Her cards sliced the calm evening in their home. [Y/N] has been training non-stop with her dad for days before the event, pushing all the possibilities that she can do with her Quirk. The aroma of onions and garlic wafted through the slightly ajar glass door in the backyard, making her stomach rumble and breaking her concentration.

Her father chuckled lowly. "Your mother always pour love in her cooking. Lengthen your patience further princess."

He gestured his daughter to rest, which she obliged, but stopped her from sheathing her cards. He turned his attention to one of the training dummies and bottles that were lined on a table. Shards cluttered around its legs while many red and black cards punctured the synthetic rubber.

"Your Quirk is a combination of me and your mother's." He started, turning back to [Y/N] with a smile. "And your cards are based on my scales."

"I know...?" [Y/N] said with perplex, blinking. "What are you getting at dad?"

She watched the man walk to the training dummy and pulling out a card. He inspected it as he continued his lecture. "You can break small objects instead of triggering the switch with enough force on your flicks and if you aim both opposite cards on it. Like those bottles."

"Feel it." [Y/N] flawlessly caught the card thrown at her direction. She looked at it, flipping it once. Thick enough to be stabbed and had a right amount of durability to stay.

"...wait." The girl whipped her head at her dad. "You think I can—"

The flicker of his tail confirmed it.

[Y/N] had seen many times how hard it was to break her dad's scales, and how he steers his body to move on all fours whenever he ran or climb. He recommended to watch the locomotion of felines and apes rather than humans due to her flexibility and how her old man teaches his techniques, even if [Y/N] wasn't born with a tail.

"Oh, that's scary," Yanagi mused as her and Monoma gawked at the girl, passing by the tunnel wall and leaving claw-like marks on it before jumping at Shishida's back, surprising Tsuburaba who is also clinging on to the beast of a man. He had it easy on the slippery ice, with every stomp he cracked the frost to break the dirt free and propel himself.

"Damn," Monoma can't help but be amazed, the ends of his lip curling upwards. He had never seen [Y/N] like that during trainings, and it wasn't difficult to figure it out who taught her like that.

The race continued, and the challenged yells never ended from the rivaling class—all of them were attacking Todoroki, trying to slow him down. But he was powerful, the second obstacle were the Villain Bots from the Entrance Exam. There were many Zero Pointers than before to block the way, yet Todoroki didn't hesitate to freeze them halfway.

He was tactical too, as expected. Despite someone saying the opening between the legs is safe, the cracks forming on the ice told otherwise. [Y/N] didn't risk it, watching it gave up to still the bots and crashing down to the ground. The players here alarmed, spewing whines of the thought someone being killed from the impact.

Yet Present Mic continued with his commentary, and the audience were probably expressing their entertainment still. "Oh? What's this folks?"

"Someone's trapped." Shiozaki muttered, hearing the thumping in the metal getting louder and louder—until someone burst from it.

"Eijiro Kirishima from Class 1-A makes a breakout entrance with his Quirk: Hardening!" Present Mic exploded in excitement. [Y/N]'s eyes sparked recognition—his skin in sharp edges like a rock. "He can solidify his body like stone for a great close defense and offense!"

Another series of strikes followed under the bot, with a yell Tetsutetsu came out swearing—his skin and eyes colored in silver gray that glinted from the sunlight. "Looks like Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu was also caught under the rubble but got out shining with the help of his Quirk: Steel! He can transform his whole body into steal for great close defense and offense!"

"Our Quirks are basically the same!" Kirishima cried while he ran.

"You damn copycat!"

Blasts trembled the terrain and came Bakugo flying over the Zero Pointers, followed by others who had an advantage in heights. "I ain't losing to you half-and-half bastard!"

The booms never stopped, but this time it wasn't coming from him—he was long gone. Among the horde, a girl with a long black hair tied in a ponytail with a large strand hanging on the right side, maneuvering a cannon. [Y/N] was startled, wondering where she got a weapon something that big—until she noticed the girl's P.E. shirt zipped open. A supportive top instead of a shirt, exposing most of her skin. Around her abdomen some sort of glitter before fading away.

She made that?! No time to dawdle, she gave an opportunity to make the rest pass through the giant mechs that were hiding the other Pointers. [Y/N] can handle those.

"Thanks, dad—" Her gratitude immediately was silenced by a slit of her diamonds in a desirable length without straining her knuckles too much and running towards the first robot she sees. She leaped when it attacked, then landing for a headstart dash over the head. She raised her right to spear the black claws to the side before stabbing the red lens with the other hand. The sound of losing its power satisfied her to move on to the next one. Class B's Quirks were all over the track like circular platforms from Tsuburaba, Kodai changing the size of some cluttered parts of a ruined Pointer and teaming up with Shoda resulting a great wreckage, Tokage splitting herself to either attack or distract, Kamakiri slicing through the green metals, and so on.

"This just means Class A will be receiving special treatment. While we keep on grinding, proving we're just as strong. Class A being attacked doesn't change that." Monoma's voice rang in her mind. He was right, seeing how the class work together was enough proof for [Y/N] that they were just as tough as the other class, they deserved to be known and show why they are in the Hero Course.

On the other hand, Class A weren't wasting any hesitation as they destroy the Pointers. The current obstacle is almost similar to the exam, yet [Y/N] felt a different air from the other class. She can't point it out but it has something to do with the villain attack.

...

"They survived something they shouldn't have to face early on."

That has to be it... [Y/N] thought as she observed them at a distance while she ran. Class A had witnessed and faced a real danger; the adults can't protect them due to their wounds and others not present. She was worrying too much for her friends, watching them tear through the Bots with heavier strength and sharper instincts, she overlooked at how they act now. They saw a glimpse of what it meant to be heroes, other than being driven by their own reasons to become one.

[Y/N] felt her teeth clench, forcing her legs to move faster to the next obstacle, hearing Present Mic announcing another class and Todoroki arriving at the next obstacle. Class A had their motivations to fight, so did she.