The horn blared, and the arena erupted into movement. The ground beneath us trembled as everyone surged forward, a chaotic wave of quirks, shouts, and pure adrenaline.

Obstacle Chaos lived up to its name right from the start. The first section was a battlefield of shifting platforms suspended over a pit filled with bubbling, fluorescent liquid. Heroes and villains alike leaped, climbed, and scrambled to avoid falling in, some relying on quirks, others on sheer athleticism.

For me, this was where strategy came into play. No quirk meant no flashy maneuvers, but that didn't mean I was at a disadvantage. Quite the opposite—I had analyzed every inch of the course the moment the screen lit up.

I sprinted forward, weaving through the crowd with ease. As expected, most of the competitors went for the obvious route, clambering onto the larger platforms and fighting for space. Rookie mistake. The real path was to the side, where smaller, more stable platforms formed a hidden route.

While the others struggled to push past each other, I leaped from platform to platform with precision, staying ahead of the chaos.

A blast of fire shot past me, and I glanced back to see Bakugo tearing through the crowd like a living explosion. Typical. He wasn't interested in strategy; he just wanted to plow through everything in his path.

"Move it, nerds!" he shouted, blasting another competitor off a platform and into the pit below.

I rolled my eyes but didn't stop. Let him cause a scene. My goal wasn't to outfight anyone—it was to outthink them.

Ahead of me, the platforms ended abruptly, leading to the next section of the course: a series of giant swinging pendulums suspended over a field of jagged spikes.

"Seriously?" I muttered under my breath. "Who designs this stuff?"

The pendulums were moving at irregular intervals, making it nearly impossible to predict their patterns. But nearly impossible wasn't the same as actually impossible. I crouched down, studying the movements carefully.

Behind me, competitors were catching up, their shouts growing louder as they reached the edge of the platforms. I had seconds to act.

Timing my movements perfectly, I dashed forward, slipping between the pendulums with barely an inch to spare. My heart raced, but I didn't stop to celebrate. There was no time for that.

As I reached the other side, I glanced back to see others attempting to follow. Some made it through, while others were knocked back by the swinging obstacles. One particularly unlucky hero was sent flying into the spikes, their landing cushioned by a forcefield quirk at the last second.

The next section was a vertical climb up a wall covered in slick, rotating panels. I could already hear Mic's excited commentary echoing through the arena.

"Look at them go, folks! This course isn't pulling any punches!"

"And neither are our competitors!" Midnight added, her voice dripping with glee. "It's a free-for-all out there, and they're giving it everything they've got!"

Reaching the wall, I immediately spotted the path of least resistance. Most of the panels were designed to throw climbers off, but there were a few that remained stationary, forming a hidden route to the top.

While others struggled to find their footing, I scaled the wall with ease, my movements quick and calculated. At the top, I paused to catch my breath, glancing back at the chaos below.

The villains were holding their own surprisingly well. Spinner was using his agility to maneuver through the course with surprising grace, while Toga darted around like a blur, her quirk giving her an edge in evasion. Even Twice, despite his usual indecisiveness, seemed to be holding his own.

Shigaraki, of course, was a force to be reckoned with. His decay quirk made short work of any obstacles in his path, though he was careful not to overuse it. He didn't need me to tell him that breaking the course was against the spirit of the event.

The heroes, on the other hand, were a mixed bag. Some of them were performing admirably, showcasing the skills that had earned them a place at UA. Others, however, were struggling to keep up, their confidence shaken by the sheer intensity of the course.

Ahead of me, the final section loomed: a straight sprint through a gauntlet of automated turrets firing foam projectiles at high speed.

"Of course," I muttered, shaking my head. "Why not?"

The turrets were designed to track movement, targeting anyone who stepped into their range. Dodging them would require a combination of speed, agility, and—most importantly—timing.

I took a deep breath, calming my nerves. This was it—the final stretch.

Darting forward, I zigzagged through the gauntlet, using the terrain to my advantage. The turrets fired relentlessly, but I was always one step ahead, slipping past their projectiles with practiced ease.

As I crossed the finish line, I heard the crowd erupt into cheers, their energy infectious. I couldn't help but smirk.

Behind me, competitors were still struggling through the gauntlet, some managing to make it through, others falling victim to the relentless assault of foam projectiles.

Mic's voice boomed over the speakers once more. "And there you have it, folks! The first event of the UA Sports Festival is complete! Let's hear it for our competitors—they've earned it!"

Midnight's voice followed, her tone dripping with satisfaction. "But don't get too comfortable, everyone. This is just the beginning. The real fun is yet to come."

I glanced toward the villains, catching Shigaraki's eye. He nodded slightly, a silent acknowledgment of the trust I'd placed in them.