MHA; Natsu Dragneel!

**Chapter 24: The Obstacle Race! (Part 1)**

The narrow entrance to the obstacle course was a chaotic bottleneck, a sea of bodies pressed tightly together as students jostled for position. The air was thick with tension, the collective energy of the competitors crackling like a live wire. Amid the suffocating congestion, Todoroki stood at the rear of the crowd, his dual-toned hair—red and white—fluttering subtly in the breeze. His left side radiated a faint steam, the heat from his flames barely contained, while his piercing heterochromatic eyes—one green, one black—locked onto Natsu, who was struggling to push through the mass of bodies ahead.

*'I never thought I'd have to go all out in this festival,'* Todoroki thought, his expression calm but his mind racing. *'But there's no way I can beat Natsu with half my strength. I'll have to dominate right from the start. Whether it's the right or wrong decision… I'll reflect on that after I crush you here!'*

With a sudden burst of determination, Todoroki's left side erupted in flames, the heat distorting the air around him. **Fwoosh!** He launched himself into the air, his body a blur of motion as he soared over the crowd. The flames beneath him roared like a dragon's breath, leaving a glowing trail of heat in his wake. His movements were graceful yet powerful, his form cutting through the air with precision. The heat waves radiating from his body seemed to bend the very fabric of space, creating a shimmering mirage in his path. The arena shook with an uproar of excitement, the crowd's cheers and shouts reverberating through the stadium like thunder.

From the commentator's booth, Yamada's voice boomed with uncontainable enthusiasm. "Todoroki takes the lead from the get-go! What an incredible move right at the start! This is going to be a race for the ages!"

As Todoroki cleared the entrance, his flames flickered out, and he momentarily lost balance. His feet stumbled, skidding across the sandy ground, but he quickly regained control, his movements fluid and deliberate. The heat from his flames had waned, a sign that he was still mastering their full potential, but his improvement from the prior week was undeniable. Without hesitation, he began sprinting, his eyes locked on the path ahead, his resolve unshakable.

Natsu, still stuck at the back of the crowd, watched the spectacle unfold with a quiet smirk. His sharp eyes trailed after Todoroki's commanding lead, a flicker of admiration in his gaze. "Two flashy powers in one body, huh?" he mused, his voice low but filled with excitement. "It's like looking at a mix of me and Gray."

Happy, floating beside him, chuckled. "I can't even imagine that, Natsu." Meanwhile, in the icy mountains of Fiore, Gray suddenly sneezed, startling the Fairy Tail guildmates trekking behind Makarov. Wrapped snugly in thick winter coats, Erza commented with a grin, "It's rare for you to sneeze, Gray, especially in the cold."

Lucy, wearing her usual skeptical expression, added, "It's not that surprising considering he's barely wearing anything."

Gray, perplexed, glanced down only to realize, as always, his shirt had somehow gone missing. *"When did this happen?"* he muttered, causing the others to share knowing glances before they continued their ascent into the frozen peaks.

Back at the sports festival, Todoroki wasn't the only one in pursuit of victory. Bakugo was next, tearing through the crowd without concern for anyone in his way. With explosive bursts from his palms, he rocketed forward, the shockwaves from his blasts sending gusts of wind rippling through the mass of students. Smoke filled the entrance as Bakugo soared above, his voice a guttural roar: "Don't think I'm letting you keep the lead that easily!"

Yaoyorozu, ever resourceful, had already fashioned a grappling hook gun. Firing it toward the corner of the exit, she swiftly flew across the air, her body following the chain as she bypassed the clogged crowd below. One by one, the elite students from classes 1-A and 1-B began surging out of the entrance, each showcasing their unique abilities in a dazzling display of talent and determination.

Through the chaos, Natsu stood still, his eyes glinting with excitement. He grinned, watching each of his classmates unveil their strengths. "Looks like this is going to be fun…" he mused, his voice tinged with anticipation. He was eager to challenge each one in his own way, to see just how far they had come.

Hovering above him, Happy looked puzzled. "Are you going to stay lazy here forever? Should I just fly you to the exit?"

Natsu's smile widened, his confidence unshaken. "No need for that. I'll let loose now…" But before he could even finish his sentence, a sudden flash of green light appeared in his periphery. The world seemed to slow for a moment as Natsu's sharp eyes locked onto the figure of Midoriya, whose emerald eyes glowed faintly, flickering with sparks of green energy. He was moving in leaps, his body bouncing from one side of the wall to the other in a perfect parkour display, his speed unmatched. Behind him, Kaminari followed closely, surrounded by yellow lightning, his movements swift as he ran along the wall rather than jumping.

"You've finally got it under control, huh, Midoriya?" Kaminari called out, his voice full of admiration.

"Looks like you've found a new trick yourself, Kaminari!" Midoriya shot back with a determined grin.

Standing amidst the crowd, Natsu watched his classmates surpass one another, pushing their limits in ways that left even him impressed. Unbeknownst to him, he had been the catalyst for their growth, their drive to close the power gap that had been so evident during the USJ incident. Over the past week, each one of them had honed their abilities, striving to become stronger, to catch up to the force that was Natsu Dragneel.

Jiro, her dark purple hair bouncing as she dashed past him, offered a fleeting glance back, her eyes gleaming with newfound resolve. "Natsu Dragneel, we're also students of U.A. We won't let you leave us in the dust again like at the USJ. Thanks to the frustration I felt watching you fight, I've reached a whole new level too!"

Suddenly, a sound like an engine igniting erupted beneath her feet, and a colorless aura blasted from her legs, propelling her at an incredible speed out of the exit, hot on the heels of Midoriya and Kaminari. The stadium screen zoomed in on the trio as their images were broadcast across Japan, the audience roaring in excitement.

Through it all, Natsu and Happy remained at the back, alone but undeterred. Happy flashed a toothy grin. "I was worried about them for a while since they were really weak. But look at how much they've grown because of you!"

Natsu shrugged, his smile soft but his eyes burning with determination. "It wasn't me. They did that all on their own."

"You're not going to let them win, are you?" Happy teased, his tail swishing playfully.

Natsu's eyes narrowed playfully, flames sparking beneath his feet as he eyed the now-clear entrance. "You know me, I'm fired up!" With that, he crouched low, his body coiling like a spring, before launching himself forward with explosive force. The ground beneath him cracked as he shot through the entrance, his laughter echoing through the arena as he joined the fray, ready to show the world what he was truly capable of.

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