Ten Million Points

"Kid, don't underestimate your enemies."

Because of a momentary lapse, Shoto Todoroki, who had been running in front, was caught up to by the frenzied Bakugo. First place changed hands, sending the atmosphere in the stadium soaring even higher. Izuku Midoriya had only just reached the edge of the minefield and began using the power of ONE.FOR.ALL at full coverage to nimbly evade the mines and give chase at high speed.

"The minefield is up ahead."

Yukino approached the third checkpoint, but unfortunately, she had no idea how to get through this area.

The main problem was that there wasn't enough time. If she carefully walked through it step by step, she definitely wouldn't make the qualifying ranks. And if she copied what Izuku Midoriya had done in the original story—digging up a pile of mines and using a board underneath to blast herself forward—she probably wouldn't make it in time either.

"Whatever. As long as I'm fast enough, the explosions won't be able to catch me."

Gritting her teeth, Yukino, already moving at tremendous speed, accelerated once more and kicked up an astonishing gale.

Bang!

Her first step landed in the minefield.

A blinding flash and terrifying impact surged up from beneath her feet.

The explosion went off almost instantly.

"Here I come!"

The blast wave erupted. Propelled by it, Yukino didn't pause for even a moment as she leaped forward. The force sent her two or three meters into the air, and in an instant, her body crossed dozens of meters.

Bang bang bang bang!

Explosions all the way, wild winds all the way.

Flashes flickered as smoke and dust billowed...

"She's catching up, she's catching up! No wonder she got first place in the entrance exam. Is this girl a monster? She's actually charging through the minefield by stepping on the mines! Could there be some savage beast hiding inside that petite, adorable body?"

Flashes of fire burst one after another, her posture more frenzied than anyone else's. Rather than blasting Yukino away, the explosions became the force propelling her forward.

In that instant, Yukino had caught up to Midoriya, who was gritting his teeth and sprinting.

And almost at the same time, Midoriya overtook Bakugo and Todoroki, who had been fighting each other!

"Damn it." In an instant, Bakugo pulled back the hand he had been using to attack Shoto Todoroki. Using the explosive thrust from both hands, he surged forward in pursuit.

"Deku, I'll never let you get ahead of me!"

With a furious roar, Bakugo's face twisted like a demon crawling out of hell as the distance between him and Midoriya rapidly closed.

Even with ONE.FOR.ALL at full coverage, Midoriya still had a certain gap between himself and Bakugo.

Both halves of Todoroki's eyes were filled with shock. He unleashed his ice at nearly the same time, ran along the path he had created, and relied on his powerful physical abilities to catch up to the two of them.

"Ha!" The commentator's voice instantly became more impassioned. "The two who were far ahead have stopped holding each other back and are now fiercely pursuing Midoriya! As long as a common enemy appears, humanity stops fighting!"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Shota Aizawa said speechlessly.

At the scene.

"Deku, stop right there."

Bakugo struck out with his palm, but Midoriya easily predicted the attack. After dodging, he mercilessly returned it with a punch.

"You can't hit me, Kacchan. I recorded every one of your movements in my notes."

"What..." Bakugo's pupils suddenly contracted.

Bang!

A punch landed squarely in his abdomen, forcing Bakugo back half a meter. Almost at the same time, Todoroki appeared beside them on a path of ice.

More importantly, Yukino had caught up too.

"This is incredible, four runners side by side! Bakugo, Todoroki, Midoriya, Su Lin—an unbelievable sight! This year's first-year competition..."

Amid the spectators' cheers, Todoroki clicked his tongue and abruptly reached out, grabbing for Yukino's right arm.

Sorry, but my father is watching.

Ice spread out, and Yukino felt a sharp pain in the skin on her right side.

But...

At the same time, Bakugo unleashed an even more violent palm strike, bypassing Midoriya and ruthlessly attacking Yukino's head.

"Todoroki, I won't go easy on you like that!"

They attacked from both sides, everything happening within arm's reach. Yukino clenched her teeth, raised her arms, and endured the pain as she blocked both attacks with a bang.

Her right arm froze solid and became covered in hard ice, while a mist of blood burst from her left hand.

Bakugo and Todoroki's expressions changed slightly. Yukino had actually seized their arms in a death grip, and they couldn't break free.

"Shoto Todoroki!"

Yukino seemed unable to feel any pain. She tilted her head, an eerie grin appearing on her face. "You bastard... and you still have the mood to go easy on girls?"

Bang—

With a burst of tremendous force, Bakugo and Shoto Todoroki were thrown sideways and touched the mines beneath them. Using the blinding explosion as cover, Yukino leaped up and quickly pursued Midoriya ahead.

"My God, what did I just see? Su Lin directly blocked Bakugo and Todoroki's attacks and took them both down in one move! Midoriya took the chance to sprint ahead and has completely secured first place!"

"Now, in first and second place are Izuku Midoriya and Su Lin!"

"And Su Lin—my God, her hands are covered in blood..."

Roar—

The sight was simply too thrilling for the audience.

But for Izuku Midoriya, the pressure had not lessened.

"So fast. She's coming."

Even ONE.FOR.ALL at full coverage couldn't shake that girl?

"No, I can't give up. I have to take first place."

Midoriya remembered what All Might had told him: "Tell the world that you have arrived!"

He was already dazzling enough, but that was far from enough.

"All Might, I will definitely take first place!"

With a roar in his heart and his eyes bloodshot, Izuku Midoriya rushed through the third obstacle and sprinted toward the finish line... the interior of the stadium.

They were getting close...

The four entered the surrounding buildings one after another. The spectators rose to their feet without realizing it, cheering and shouting encouragement at the people below.

"In the U.A. Sports Festival first-year division, judging from the opening stages, who could have predicted the final outcome? At this very moment, the first man to return to the stadium... is actually him, Izuku Midoriya!"

"Roar—"

Fireworks burst across the stadium as the audience raised their hands and cheered.

Yukino, following behind Midoriya, actually slowed down at the very end. She stopped, braced her hands on her knees, and panted heavily amid the audience's shouts.

After sprinting so hard for a full four kilometers, it really was too much to handle.

"First place... I'll leave that big pitfall to you, Midoriya."

Thinking of the next event, Yukino couldn't help laughing.

"Who would've thought I'd end up in second place?"

Ten Million Points

While most of the attention in the stadium was focused on Izuku Midoriya, Yukino leaned against the wall, rested her head back, and quietly waited for her arms to recover. Shoto Todoroki and Bakugo rushed out from behind the entrance one after another.

Bakugo had been staring at Midoriya the entire time, while Todoroki looked toward Yukino. After noticing the injury on her hand, he frowned slightly.

There was no doubt that he had held back in their previous fight, which was why his attack had not injured Yukino much at all. But Bakugo was the kind of person who could ruthlessly attack even a delicate-looking girl with all his strength.

Every drop of blood that slid down her arm and stained the ground had been caused by Bakugo.

"Tch—"

Todoroki deliberately turned his head away, no longer looking at the figure who had claimed second place.

Half a minute later.

"Oh dear, young lady, you're not looking too good. Let me treat those injuries for you." Recovery Girl slowly approached Yukino step by step, leaning on her cane with a kindly smile on her face.

"Uh... it's okay. I have regenerative abilities, so there's no need." Seeing the elderly woman, Yukino instinctively leaned back, looking unexpectedly flustered.

"It's fine, it's fine. Just one little kiss..."

Her lips slowly stretched out, and under Yukino's helpless gaze, they finally landed on her cheek.

Biu~~

The elderly woman nodded with satisfaction. "There, there. So cute. Girls need to take care of themselves, you know. Seeing you like this really breaks my heart."

"Uh, this is only my avatar."

She wanted to emphasize the gender of her main body, but after thinking about it, it seemed meaningless.

As a teacher at the academy, how could Recovery Girl possibly not know that?

Sure enough, the kindly old woman became unusually stern in the next moment. "Isn't an avatar still part of you? Why do you think I keep calling you young lady? It's because I want you to accept yourself. Don't keep going on about avatars all day. She's part of you too, yet you treat her like a tool? Don't you think that's too pitiful?"

Yukino froze in place.

Recovery Girl didn't say much more. She soon sighed, reached out to pat Yukino's body, then turned and left.

In a stiff silence, Yukino leaned against the wall and absentmindedly touched her healed hand.

Her bloodstains were still on it.

"Looks like Recovery Girl doesn't want me getting hurt again." Although she understood what Recovery Girl meant, what was truly the right thing for her to do?

"Kero?"

Tsuyu Asui slowly hopped over to Yukino like a frog, then stared at her with that blank, adorable face.

"What is it?"

After the two stared at each other for half a minute, Yukino couldn't help speaking up.

"Su Lin-chan seems to be getting more and more charming."

"Really?" Yukino paused, not understanding what Tsuyu meant.

"Kyoka was just complaining... She said it was one thing for you to compete with boys for girls, but now you're even competing with girls for boys. That's a little too much."

"..."

"Hey, when did I ever say that?" Kyoka Jiro, her face dark, slowly walked over from afar with the look of someone ready to throw a punch.

"Kero."

Tsuyu Asui hurriedly hopped away.

"This girl."

In the stands, the No. 2 Hero Endeavor watched Izuku Midoriya for a while before turning his attention to his rebellious son.

And during the first few minutes after the race ended, Shoto Todoroki had kept looking at Su Lin, which made Endeavor somewhat interested in that student who had turned into a girl.

"An avatar, if this is all there is to it..."

For some reason, he felt irritated.

Maybe he was simply annoyed by Todoroki's defiant gaze.

"Alright, students are arriving at the finish line one after another. The rankings will be counted shortly. In any case, thanks for the effort, everyone." Mic's shout swept past the ears of the audience and students alike.

Hearing that voice, Izuku Midoriya, who had been staring at his arm, looked up and met All Might's gaze.

He knew he had succeeded. He had taken that first step toward becoming the center of attention.