The crowd’s answering scream was deafening. The voice hero, Present Mic, was a tiny, gesticulating figure in his commentary box high above.

The spotlight swept over the teal-clad students. A spiky-haired blonde with an explosive scowl. A serious-looking boy with glasses chopping the air robotically. A girl with pink skin and a wider, excited smile than Present Mic’s.

The explosive blonde stomped up the steps to the podium. He grabbed the microphone, his red eyes scanning the sea of students below with undisguised contempt.

He dropped the mic. The stadium went quiet for a second before erupting into a mix of boos and cheers. From the General Studies crowd beside you, a low mutter started.

The purple-haired boy didn't look at you, his eyes half-lidded and fixed on Bakugo’s retreating back. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets.

A giant screen lit up behind her, wheels spinning before landing with a definitive CLICK.

A series of massive gates at the far end of the field began to grind open, revealing the mouth of a tunnel that led out into the sprawling UA campus.

A surge of bodies began moving toward the starting line, a bottleneck of elbows and jostling shoulders. The hero course students pushed to the front with ease. You took a slow, deep breath, feeling the brace tighten around your ankle as you shifted your weight.