The crowd roared as the stadium lights focused on the arena below, now remodeled into a futuristic simulation zone filled with destructible terrain — reinforced steel platforms, artificial hills, and scattered cover. The battlefield was vast, and the possibilities? Endless.
Midnight stood on the central platform, her whip coiled at her side and her voice crisp through the mic.
"Welcome to Round 3 of the UA Sports Festival! You've all danced, simulated survival, and now… it's time to fight!"
The audience erupted with cheers.
"Only the top 32 have made it this far," she continued, "and now you'll face off one-on-one. No teams, no gimmicks, no second chances. Win, and you advance. Lose, and you're out. And remember — simulation settings are on, so injuries will be limited. But pain?" She grinned. "That's very real."
Jason leaned against the railing in the waiting area above the arena, arms crossed, hoodie half-zipped and eyes lazily scanning the bracket screen.
Top 5 Rankings after Rounds 1 & 2:
1. Katsuki Bakugou
2. Shoto Todoroki
3. Jason Lax
4. Momo Yaoyorozu
5. Izuku Midoriya
"Figures," Jason muttered, eyeing Bakugou's name. "Guy's practically made of explosions and ego."
Momo stood beside him, her fingers laced tightly behind her back, trying not to pace. She wore a composed expression, but Jason could see the tension in her posture. The tournament format meant she could be paired against anyone. Even him.
"You nervous?" Jason asked casually, giving her a sidelong glance.
"I… a little," she admitted. "You?"
Jason just smirked. "Nah. I'm excited. This is the fun part."
The first match lit up the screen:
> Match 1: Izuku Midoriya vs. Kosei Tsuburaba
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Greenie's up first."
Down in the arena, Midoriya stepped onto the battlefield with a determined face. He wore support gauntlets now — a clear sign he was learning to control his Quirk more safely. Tsuburaba waited on the opposite end, already hardening the air into walls.
The buzzer sounded.
Tsuburaba acted fast, launching a flurry of hardened air blocks toward Midoriya to limit movement. But Midoriya dashed forward with explosive bursts of speed, breaking through the barriers with controlled punches — not at full power, but enough to make shockwaves.
"He's holding back," Jason murmured, eyes narrowing. "Smart."
Midoriya feinted left, then vaulted over a wall, surprising Tsuburaba and landing a clean hit to the shoulder. A controlled 8% smash.
Tsuburaba went flying, slamming into the edge of the arena. Simulated systems buzzed red.
"Winner: Midoriya!"
The audience roared.
Jason nodded. "Alright, not bad."
Momo blinked. "You sound impressed."
"I am. He's not just power. He's learning to think."
Match after match rolled on — each one fast, brutal, and revealing. Some students showed strategy, others sheer force. The simulation terrain was constantly shifting, forcing adaptability.
Match 4: Mina Ashido vs. Hitoshi Shinso ended in a shocking upset as Shinso manipulated Mina into walking out of bounds with a well-timed taunt. His Quirk's effectiveness in 1v1s was terrifying.
Match 6: Kyoka Jiro vs. Rikido Sato saw Jiro cleverly use echo-location to avoid Sato's brute strength, attacking from range until he collapsed from sugar depletion.
And then—
> Match 7: Jason Lax vs. Koji Koda
Jason cracked his neck and sighed. "Guess that's me."
Momo put a hand on his sleeve. "Jason… good luck."
He gave her a wink. "What, worried I'll lose?"
"No," she said quietly. "Worried you'll hold back."
Jason smirked but said nothing. He jogged down to the arena, hoodie now off, revealing the simple black training shirt beneath.
Koji waited nervously, eyes flicking to the simulation's artificial animal den in the corner. Likely part of his plan.
The buzzer sounded.
Koji raised a hand, whispering rapidly. The den erupted as large simulation birds, wolves, and lizards surged forward.
Jason exhaled slowly. "Alright, let's dance."
He vanished into mist.
Gas form. Ten seconds.
He slipped through the animals, reforming behind Koda with a grin.
"Tag."
Jason tapped Koji's shoulder and reappeared fully, flipping him effortlessly.
Before Koji could react, Jason morphed into a hulking bear-like form — claws sharp, body solid — one of his stronger mid-tier shapes. Not lethal, but enough to scare.
Koda stumbled back, clearly overwhelmed. Jason didn't hit him hard — just pinned him with enough force to prove his point.
"Winner: Jason Lax!"
As the crowd cheered, Jason glanced toward the stands. Momo was watching him — not smiling, not frowning — just… studying.
He knew that look. She was trying to figure him out.
Again.
Jason offered a lazy salute to the crowd and walked off the field.
---
Back in the waiting area, Bakugou cracked his knuckles. "Heh. Show-off."
Midoriya, standing nearby, stared at Jason's back as he walked past.
"He's dangerous," Midoriya whispered. "But he's also holding back."