The camera couldn't stay on one person forever.
In the next instant, the giant screen focused on Shoto Todoroki at the very front.
BOOM!
With a thunderous crash, massive steel giants burst up from the ground, blocking the path ahead.
Present Mic's excited voice echoed through the stadium:
"Here they come! The first obstacle of the race — ROBOT HELL!"
"These are the same zero-point 'Imaginary Villains' from the Entrance Exam!"
Many students instinctively froze.
Those towering machines had left psychological scars during the practical test.
"Out of my way!"
Todoroki's right side flared cold.
Frost condensed instantly along his arm, and with a sweeping motion—
A skyscraper-sized robot was frozen solid into a towering ice sculpture.
The path cleared.
He surged forward.
Behind him, Bakugo roared upward on explosive propulsion, choosing to bypass combat entirely and soar over the mechanical giants.
Other Class 1-A students followed in rapid succession—melting ice, dissolving obstacles, maneuvering creatively.
They pulled ahead quickly.
In the commentary booth, Present Mic laughed.
"Whoa! Class 1-A is on fire! Eraser Head, what are you feeding them?!"
Wrapped in bandages, Shota Aizawa answered calmly:
"They gained experience during the USJ incident. That strengthened their resolve."
No arrogance. No belittling of others.
Just a simple truth.
The audience roared approval.
And then—
The camera cut back to the starting gate.
Lock.
Still at the back.
Alongside a few remaining stragglers.
At the narrow gate, several students had deliberately formed a human wall, shoulders locked.
They weren't trying to win.
They were trying to block him.
"If you don't even place well in the first event, you'll be a joke," one sneered under his breath.
They wanted attention.
Even if it meant dragging Lock down with them.
Present Mic frowned visibly.
"It seems Lock was targeted from the start! How will he handle this?!"
Lock simply walked forward.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Then—
A pressure descended.
Cold.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
The Breath of Death erupted silently from him like a tangible tide.
"So this," Lock said flatly, "is why you lose."
"Because your mindset is weak."
He didn't slow down.
The students blocking him rolled their eyes back and collapsed unconscious, clearing the path.
The stadium gasped.
"W-What just happened?!" Present Mic shouted. "Did he just glare them into fainting?!"
The audience hadn't felt the killing intent.
But those students had.
And it had crushed them instantly.
Present Mic regained his composure.
"But he's still far behind the leaders! Catching up won't be easy!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
On the giant screen—
Magic circles bloomed around Lock.
"Godspeed."
"Gale Burst."
"Red Field."
Red vapor erupted from his body.
Wind spiraled around him.
And then—
He vanished.
The ground beneath his feet cratered.
Present Mic nearly screamed.
"HE DISAPPEARED! That acceleration is like a missile launch!"
A shockwave tore across the track, forcing spectators to shield their faces from the rushing wind.
When the camera switched to the mid-pack—
A crimson blur tore through the student army.
Too fast for the lens to focus.
Several Pro Heroes in the stands stood up instinctively.
They understood what the average viewer didn't.
This wasn't just "fast."
This was combat-grade velocity beyond normal hero standards.
Within seconds—
Lock appeared briefly beside Hatsume Mei.
"Maintain this pace, and you'll clear the first obstacle easily."
"Eh? Xiao Zhe?"
Mei blinked, hearing his voice but seeing nothing but wind.
An illusion?
No time to think.
He was gone again.
Moments later—
He materialized beside Kyoka Jiro, who was preparing to dismantle a robot strategically.
"Lightning would be faster," he advised calmly.
Before she could respond—
Golden electricity burst from his palm.
He touched the robot's exterior.
The machine short-circuited instantly—
Exploding from within.
"LOCK?!" Kyoka gasped.
Her heart nearly stopped.
Two breaths.
That was all it had taken.
From dead last—
To the top ten.
The audience finally comprehended.
This wasn't arrogance.
This wasn't showmanship.
This was overwhelming dominance.
And the obstacle race—
Had only just begun.
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A/N: 40+ Advance Chapter Has Been Uploaded.
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