Meruem stepped up to the starting line, severity replacing the humor-filled gleam in his eyes. When it came time to use his Quirk, he could never be too careful. There was no margin for error. He quite literally could not avert his gaze from his goal. If he did, he could end up crushing some unknowing pedestrian. He didn't want that, not even a smidgen of him wanted another accident to haunt him.

A calming sigh left him and once his heartbeat had slowed to serenity he gave the sports hall a look around. Behind him, though far off, was a fence of multi-layer steeled walls. U.A's security measures were most likely a double clause product. On one hand they wanted to keep the public and villains out, on the other, they had to protect the public from their dangerous students as well. Good, Meruem thought to himself. That'll come in handy, now I won't have to hold back.

"N-No harsh feelings, a voice beside uttered. The boy was a sturdy youth, average in all its glory with a pointed chin and too-narrow eyes. Massive, alien-looking boosters protruded high from his back. "It was just a bad matchup. I genuinely feel bad for showing you up. You made that huge speech and everything. God... Man I'm such a jerk."

The guy looked guilty but prepared. Meruem only shook his head. "Don't be. Cause I don't plan on losing to ya. The power of gravity is out of this world.

Taken back, the boy only smiled and got into ready position, Meruem followed his lead, head low and eyes pinned on the steel walls behind him. The moment Mister Walker had called "Go!", Meruem had felt the heat of the boy's engines ignite. They sent him flying towards the finish line.

His own eyes went black, a trail of dark energy sizzling from the sides. Adrenaline surged throughout as he twisted the laws of gravity and reflected its underlining rules towards himself. He felt his perception of the world turn, and before he knew it he was shooting down the track, as if falling through the air.



It became apparent that he'd lose two seconds later. The boy's engine was just too powerful and the application of his Quirk hadn't been quite right. While it had left part of the steel wall levitating from its lack of gravity, he had only recently started to gain ground on the youth. Quickly he contemplated his options. He hadn't want to reveal too much of his Quirk at once but the guy hadn't left him much choice.

Tsk!

The blackness of his eyes faded as he released his hold on the wall, sending it massive pieces thundering to the ground. Then just as quick they were obscured with ink again, his gaze now on the boy. The boy's engines burned and yet he was slowing considerably instead of zooming across the finish line. Mere feet from the goal, he looked bewildered, shock taking hold of those sharp eyes. While that occupied him, Meruem went with the momentum of his inverted fall, hit the ground hard, rolled back onto his feet swiftly, and darted towards the finish line.

Problem was, the moment he had passed the boy, his laws of stasis had ended. In no time the boy realize this and ingite his engines again, Meruem knew there was only one thing to do. So he looked upon Haley, his only rival so far, and like an entity of gum contracted the forces between them; slinging him towards her. It was all so exhilarating, using his Quirk, showing up his competitor, and now, being pulled towards Haley at speeds that would surely have her being pulled towards him. He smiled so widely, laughing all the while as he cross the finish line moments before the jet-engine boy.

His eyes fade back to their lapis blue once he released his Quirk. He skidded across the earth once, his heels deep into the earth, then he hopped up from the force, and anchored himself into a run that had slowed to a steady gait. He stopped near Haley and patted her on the shoulder once. "Thanks! I would've lost without you."

Meruem turned from her, looking expectedly at Mister Walker for the results of his race. Surely the Ghost-Hero had seen his long-shot victory. It was only then that he realized the mess he had enacted on the steel wall behind them. He rubbed his neck with a "I didn't do it" expression on his face before smiling, admitting the fault of his destructive Quirk.

The commotion behind him had suddenly begun to overshadow his own thoughts. Before he knew it, he was being pulled upwards by his collar. A tall, ginger-haired fellow with the lean frame of a swimmer was the culprit. Meruem, not so weak himself simply grabbed the man's wrist with a firm touch. "Oi, what's the issue?" he asked.

He looked pass the men and towards Haley; a roguish smile on his lips. "She not as fragile as you guys think. Her name is in my book so she's strong.That little pull was nothing for her. Even I can see that much and I'm airy as all outdoors. Now let me go, kay."