The stadium erupted the moment his foot crossed the finish line.
"Kanzaki! Kanzaki! Kanzaki!" voices screamed from the stands, the chant rolling through the arena like thunder.
Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers. "Unbelievable, folks! Kanzaki Renji from Class 1-A finishes first, and look at him—cool as ice!"
Renji didn't acknowledge the cameras. His focus was back toward the distant smoke still rising from the minefield.
Midoriya ran with all his might through the haze. Bakugo's explosions boomed closer by the second. Todoroki's frost trailed along the outer walls, rapidly closing the distance.
Renji smiled faintly, half amused, half impressed.
"They're catching up faster than I thought," he murmured, almost to himself.
But the crowd couldn't get enough. His name echoed again and again, dozens of visitors pressing against the rails for a closer look.
Up in the observation booth, Nezu's whiskers twitched with a knowing smile.
"Well done boy!" he said, "Money well spent!"
Down below, Renji tilted his head up toward the sound of his own name, the corners of his mouth pulling into that familiar, confident grin.
He raised one hand lazily, half a wave, half a salute.
The crowd went absolutely feral.
—
— ??? —
Far from the light of the stadium, deep within a dimly lit room scattered with monitors, a gloved hand clenched so tightly that the skin beneath cracked.
Shigaraki's red-rimmed eyes glared at the screen. The cameras captured Renji's every move. The way he'd danced through the bots, laughed through the minefield, and crossed the finish line as if gravity didn't apply to him.
"…That smile," Shigaraki hissed, nails scratching the decayed armrest beside him. The wood splintered instantly.
Kurogiri's smoky form hovered nearby, his tone careful. "He's certainly made an impression. Even among Class 1-A, his control and awareness are… abnormal."
Shigaraki leaned forward, the static from the monitor flickering across his pale face. "He's acting like he owns the stage." His voice grew lower, sharper. "Like he's already a hero."
His fingers twitched, one resting on his neck as he tilted his head. "He thinks he's untouchable. All-seeing. I hate people like that."
The screen replayed Renji's final sprint—his confident grin, the effortless way he avoided every explosion in the minefield.
"He's not afraid." Shigaraki muttered, lips curling in irritation.
Kurogiri's eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. "Fear often comes later, Tomura. Once they realize they're not as invincible as they believe."
Shigaraki's hand rose, hovering just above the monitor's edge, fingers spread. "Then I'll make him realize it."
The screen flickered again—Renji's face frozen mid-laugh, the image distorted by static.
"Let's see what happens when your perfect little world stops moving." Shigaraki's grin widened as he placed his hand on the monitor, instantly causing it to crumble to dust.
—
"And that's number forty-two!" Midnight announced, gesturing for the doors to close.
"Good stuff, man." Renji approached Kirishima, who had doubled down as he sucked in each breath heavily.
"Haha," Kirishima wheezed, standing up straight with a huff. "Doesn't compare to you, bro. I'll catch up to you soon, just you wait!"
"Good luck with that," Renji said with a snort, smacking him on the back.
Midnight stretched her arms high above her head, the crowd still roaring from the first event. Her grin was bright enough to woo both men and women alike.
"Alright, alright! Let's keep this momentum going, shall we?" she purred into the mic, hips cocked as the spotlight hit her. "Now that all forty-two participants have crossed the finish line…"
The noise began to simmer, anticipation thickening the air.
"…it's time for the next event!"
Students exchanged uneasy glances. A few still hadn't caught their breath from the race.
Midnight smirked. "The second round of the U.A. Sports Festival—will be…" she dragged the words out, teasing.
"…a Cavalry Battle!"
The stadium exploded again. Some students groaned, others cheered, but most froze on the spot.
Renji tilted his head slightly, a half-smile tugging at his lips. "Figures they'd pick something chaotic."
Midnight's whip cracked against the ground with a snap! drawing everyone's attention. "Now, now—before you all panic, let's go over the rules!"
She pointed toward the massive display board overhead, where the instructions began to light up one by one.
"Each team will consist of two to four members. You'll be forming them yourselves, right here, right now!"
Groans immediately filled the air as people turned to look at each other.
"And each team will carry points based on the order you finished in the obstacle race." Midnight continued, smiling wickedly. "First place…"
The camera zoomed straight in on Renji.
"…will be worth ten million points!"
Gasps echoed from every direction. Heads whipped toward him, faces a mix of shock and envy.
Renji blinked once, then let out a quiet chuckle. "Oh, fantastic."
Kirishima gawked at him. "Ten… million? Bro, you're like… public enemy number one!"
Bakugo cracked his knuckles, already grinning. "Perfect. Makes it more fun."
"Looks like everyone's gunning for you, Renji," Kaminari said with a nervous laugh.
Renji only smiled wider, that calm, daring look flashing across his face. "Good. I'd be disappointed if they didn't."
Midnight threw her arm out dramatically. "You've got fifteen minutes to form your teams! Clock's ticking, kids—don't keep the audience waiting!"
The arena erupted once more into a storm of movement and shouting as students scrambled to form alliances.
Renji turned to Kirishima, extending his hand confidently. "Want to team up?"
"What?!" Kirishima replied, taken aback at his straightforwardness. "I literally just said I'd be taking you down."
"We're pals," Renji simply said, shrugging his shoulders.
For a moment, Kirishima hesitated, before snapping back to reality with a grin. "Alright, I'm in!" He immediately looked around, scanning the crowd. "So, who else are we gonna grab?"
Renji just smirked. "No one."
"Huh?"
"Us two's all we need."
Kirishima froze for a beat, then laughed in disbelief. "You're serious?"
Renji's grin sharpened. "Completely."
Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck, still chuckling. "Man… you're crazy."
"Maybe," Renji said, eyes glinting. "But it'll make for a better show."
"If you say so…" Kirishima said reluctantly.
"More people means less time in the spotlight for us." Renji said, glaring at anyone trying to get too close.
"Spotlight, huh?" Kirishima flexed his arms, the sheen of his hardened muscles catching the sunlight. "Then I guess I better give it everything I've got!"
The other students' chatter became a blur around them as the announcer called for the start. Renji's calm, calculating gaze swept over the battlefield ahead.
"Let's make it interesting," Renji murmured as he climbed onto his partner's shoulders. "Follow my lead."
Kirishima's jaw set, excitement burning in his eyes. "Lead the way, Renji! I've got you!"
A horn blasted, and the cavalry battle erupted. Rivals charged, teams clashing in a storm of power.
Renji's calm eyes swept the battlefield under his Quirk. Every rider's position, every swing of an arm, every shift in momentum—it was all cataloged in an instant. He didn't need to dodge yet.
Rival riders lunged, trying to shove them off their path. Kirishima didn't wait. He hardened and charged like a living battering ram.
"Five o'clock!" Renji's voice cut through the chaos, calm and precise.
Kirishima twisted mid-charge, knocking two riders off balance, sending one spinning.
"HAHA!" Renji grinned in delight. "Go my trusty steed! To battle!"
The crowd erupted for Kirishima—a wild, unstoppable force no one could ignore.
Fire blasts whizzed past. He slid under them. Thin ice walls rose. He smashed through without slowing. Every obstacle made him shine brighter.
Renji watched silently. Kirishima was handling the chaos pretty well, there was no need to do anything drastic yet.
As the timer ticked down towards the finish, teams began to grow desparate, many of them falling out of formation, causing them to be disqualified.
The teams that remained were the ones with the most synergy, effectively using their Quirks in tandem.
"GO!" Mei yelled as she pushed Midoriya, launching him towards a different team.
He shot by the group, arms flailing. But just as he was about to hit the ground and disqualify himself, the boots Mei had made whirred to life.
They fired with controlled power, lifting Midoriya and preventing him from touching the floor.
"Woah!" He exclaimed, setting his eyes on the nearest headband.
With a determined expression, he shot forward, snatching one of the enemy's headbands before they could even react.
Renji watched with an amused expression. "At least they haven't blown up yet."
"What?" Kirishima asked from below, still weaving through the remaining teams.
"Don't worry about it," Renji waved, noticing that they'd found themselves in a small clearing.
Suddenly, Renji smacked Kirishima on the head. "Steel yourself!"
Without a moment to spare, Kirishima planted his feet into the ground, turning his skin taut and rigid.
Bakugo's team rushed by them, consisting of three members—Bakugo, Yaoyorozu, and Iida.
"I got you now!" Bakugo shouted, reaching his arm to grab Renji's ten million point headband.
Iida was part of the horse, putting his Quirk to good use as he sped his team towards their opponents and tried to push Kirishima down.
Smirking, Renji waited a moment, before pulling back at the last second, twisting his body in a display of flexibility no regular human would be capable of.
At the same time, Kirishima had managed to activate his Quirk and was unshaken by Iida and Yaoyorozu's attempt to knock him over.
"What the—" Bakugo craned his head back as his team zoomed by, watching as Renji's body stayed in his contorted figure for a moment before snapping back.
Making sure Bakugo was watching, Renji sat up straighter and crossed his arms with a smug look, as if taunting him to try again.
A flash of fire burst from Bakugo's fingertips, itching to get into a full on brawl.
"Calm yourself!" Iida yelled from below, already moving toward another team.
"We agreed on one attempt and one attempt only!" Yaoyorozu added, "We can get easier points elsewhere!"
Bakugo glared down with am irritated expression but ultimately relented after noticing that they were getting close to a new team.
"Tch." Getting his head back in the game, Bakugo set his eyes on the other opponents. I'll get my chance later.
Back in the clearing, Kirishima looked around at the other groups.
"Why is everyone so far away?" He asked. Most of the other teams were on the offensive, giving it their all to nab a few more headbands before time ran out.
Renji laughed, tapping his head in a pattern similar to that one famous song ages ago that had something to do with rolling.
"Can't you see?" Renji asked, spreading his arms wide with a victorious grin on his face. "We're untouchable."
Kirishima tilted his head up and observed as Renji's eyes grew distant and bountiful laughter echoed from his throat. "…"
As the final tick sounded and a loud beep rang throughout the stadium—signaling the end of the Cavalry Battle—Kirishima sighed and laughed along with Renji, realizing what it meant to be number one.
—
"And that's it folks!" Midnight announced, throwing her arms up in the air with a captivating smile. Her voice echoed across the roaring stadiun, amplified by the speakers.
"In first place, with an unlikely two members, we have Renji's team!" She declared dramatically, her whip cracking through the air for emphasis.
Renji waved to the crowd and basked in the feeling as thousands of cheers rang out, calling his and Kirishima's name.
Eyeing Kirishima's stunned face, Renji reached out to elbow him. "Not bad, huh?"
Turning to face him, Kirishima nodded enthusiastically. "It's hella manly being at the top!"
Midnight raised a hand for silence, her grin widening. "In second place, we have Bakugo's team! Joined by Yaoyorozu and Iida!"
Bakugo smirked, crossing his arms as sparks popped from his palms. Yaoyorozu smiled politely beside him while Iida stood tall, giving a formal bow to the audience.
"And in third place…" Midnight twirled her microphone dramatically, "Team Todoroki! With Sero and Mina bringing in the rear!"
Sero struck a casual pose while Mina threw both arms up, waving excitedly to the crowd. Todoroki remained stoic, keeping up the stone cold act.
"In fourth place, give it up for Team Shinso! With Ojiro, Tokoyami, and Shoda!"
The crowd's reaction was mixed, especially for Shinso, whose calm stare met the audience with quiet defiance.
"And finally, rounding out our top five… Team Midoriya! With Uraraka, Hatsume, and Kaminari!"
The group waved from their spot. Uraraka smiled brightly while Mei showed off a new gadget to the camera drone. At the same time, still recovering from a burst of electricity, Kaminari flashed a shaky thumbs up.
Midnight spun the mic in her hand and gave a playful wink to the audience. "And there you have it! Our top five teams of the Cavalry Battle! Give them a round of applause!"
Confetti burst into the air as the crowd erupted again, the stadium vibrating with excitement.
"But even our future heroes need to rest those legs before the next event." Midnight flashed a grin, pausing dramatically.
"So! We'll be taking a short fifteen minute break! Grab some food, stretch those limbs, and get ready—because when we come back…" Her voice dropped low, "…things are only going to get wilder."
The audience roared again, and with a crack of her whip, Midnight finished, "Don't go too far, folks! The U.A. Sports Festival is far from over!"