she prepared her earphone jacks. "If I blow out my eardrums, you better visit me in the hospital!" she half-joked, even though she knew she had to push through.

Hanta Sero's training involved using his tape to create intricate web-like structures while maintaining precision under pressure. Shousuke placed moving targets around him, increasing the pace at which he had to trap them.

"This is gonna be tricky... but I can handle it!" Sero called out, beginning his rapid taping movements.

Tsuyu Asui was next. Her agility and reflexes were her strengths, but Shousuke knew they could be sharper. He set up a course filled with rapidly shifting platforms and swinging pendulums, making it nearly impossible to move without perfect timing.

"Ribbit... this is much harder than our usual training," Tsuyu muttered, leaping between the platforms with increasing difficulty.

Koji Koda faced a more emotional challenge. Shousuke placed him in front of various feral animals, ones that wouldn't listen easily. Koda had to use his Anivoice to tame them, pushing his control and communication to its limits.

Koda trembled slightly but whispered, "I can do this... they'll listen to me."

Shousuke then approached Ochaco Uraraka, increasing the weight of the objects she had to lift and lowering the gravity of the surrounding area, forcing her to focus even harder on controlling her quirk under stress.

"Okay, I can do this. Just... don't panic," Ochaco said to herself, her voice wavering slightly as the objects around her became more difficult to manage.

Mina Ashido was struggling through an intense acid obstacle course. Shousuke had set up traps that would require her to use her quirk at varying concentrations to melt through or climb over. The wrong concentration would result in failure.

"This is like... 100 times harder than our usual drills!" Mina panted, melting a wall with a concentrated blast of acid.

Shousuke ramped up the electricity level for Denki Kaminari, making him conduct through narrow wires without overloading. If he messed up, he'd fry the equipment—and himself.

"This is insane..." Kaminari muttered, electricity crackling at his fingertips. "But I've gotta do it."

Ejiro Kirishima's task became even more brutal. Shousuke handed him increasingly sharper and harder objects to harden his body against, testing his endurance to withstand stronger forces.

"Bring it on!" Kirishima yelled, as his body hardened. "I'm not backing down!"

Fumikage Tokoyami was asked to control Dark Shadow in a completely blackened area with chaotic, unpredictable lighting flashes. Shousuke stood at a distance, throwing objects randomly into the arena, making Tokoyami control Dark Shadow's reactions under extreme conditions.

Tokoyami gritted his teeth. "I won't let you get the best of me, Dark Shadow!"

Tenya Iida was still running sprints with weighted vests, but now Shousuke added an extra layer of difficulty: gusts of wind generated by machines to throw him off balance.

"I must not falter," Iida said through clenched teeth, his engines roaring as he pushed against the wind.

Momo Yaoyorozu's challenge was time-based. Shousuke set up an intricate maze of obstacles that required her to create complex objects quickly while dodging moving hazards.

"Stay calm, Momo. Think fast," she whispered to herself, her mind racing.

For Katsuki Bakugo, Shousuke upped the difficulty by increasing the explosion range of each barrel in the course. Bakugo had to use his blasts to navigate through the course without triggering larger explosions.

"Ha, you think this is tough? Watch me!" Bakugo yelled, sweat dripping down his face.

Shoto Todoroki faced a similar challenge, now needing to switch between his fire and ice quicker than ever. Shousuke set up an intense heatwave and an arctic cold front in alternating sections of the course, forcing Todoroki to adjust instantly.

"Keep your cool... literally," Todoroki muttered, steam rising from his hands.

Lastly, Izuku Midoriya had to balance One for All while moving through a gauntlet of incoming attacks, his power fluctuating with each hit. Shousuke increased the intensity of the attacks, testing how well Midoriya could maintain control under duress.

"I have to push through... for All Might... for everyone!" Midoriya thought, wiping sweat from his brow.

━━━━━━━━━━

As the sun began to set, the entire class was exhausted. They collapsed onto the grass, panting and drenched in sweat, muscles aching from the rigorous training. Despite their exhaustion, each of them had a realization of what they had learned during the session.

Ojiro groaned, flexing his tail. "I guess... I'm stronger than I thought. Gotta keep refining my technique."

Aoyama winced, holding his stomach. "I... learned beauty really is pain. But maybe I can handle more than I thought..."

Mineta shook his head, still trembling. "I'll never look at heights the same again, but I didn't give up... that's something, right?"

Hagakure's invisible hand patted Mineta's shoulder. "We've all improved. We've had to step up."

Sato looked at his empty cake box. "I think I'll lay off the sweets for a while..."

Jiro sighed, her ears still ringing. "But I can hear more than ever now. I didn't know I could push my sound that far."

Sero looked at his hands, his tape slightly frayed. "Precision is key... more than I thought."

Tsuyu wiped sweat from her forehead. "Ribbit...

Koda sat quietly, surrounded by a few calm animals. "I can communicate with them better than before. Maybe I don't need to be afraid to ask for help."

Ochaco, still floating a bit from her Zero Gravity quirk, let out a long breath. "I've learned to trust my instincts more. Control is about focus, not just power."

Mina shook out her hands, a faint burn lingering on her fingertips. "That was brutal, but I think I've gotten way better at controlling the acidity levels."

Kaminari, his hair still smoking slightly, grinned. "I didn't fry myself this time! Maybe I'm finally learning not to overdo it."

Kirishima, battered but smiling, pounded his chest. "I've never felt tougher! Shousuke sure knows how to bring out my best."

Tokoyami leaned back against the wall, Dark Shadow hovering beside him. "The darkness isn't as frightening when I control it... I can use it without being consumed."

Iida removed the heavy vest, wiping the sweat from his brow. "My engines handled the extra weight, but I realized I need more control in extreme conditions. It's not about speed alone."

Momo sat on the grass, surrounded by small creations. "I've learned that creativity under pressure is essential. Thinking fast is something I'll keep working on."

Bakugo, despite looking completely drained, flashed a cocky grin. "Tch, didn't think you could push me that hard, but I still crushed it! This just made me realize I can always go further."

Todoroki, steam rising from his hands, gave a quiet nod. "Switching between fire and ice needs to be second nature. Today taught me that balance is everything."

Lastly, Midoriya clenched his fists, still feeling the strain of controlling One for All. "I pushed myself harder than ever... I feel like I'm starting to understand how to control it better, but there's still a long way to go."

As the class reflected, Shousuke remained silent but observant, watching their growth from the edge of the field. His intense training regimen had taken a toll on everyone, but in their exhaustion, he saw the spark of progress. Each of them had found a new limit, and now, they knew how to push beyond it.

As Shousuke turned to head back inside, his Shuuko stepped out of the house, a warm smile spreading across her face. She walked over, her eyes sparkling with pride as she approached him.

"You really worked them hard today, Shousuke," she said, her voice filled with admiration. "Looks like they've all learned something important."

Shousuke gave her a small, respectful nod, his usual calm and quiet demeanor intact. But before he could slip away, his Shuuko gently ruffled his hair, a familiar gesture that instantly made him freeze in place, embarrassment creeping up on him.

"And to think," she continued, a teasing lilt in her voice, "this is the same boy who used to come home after school, all teary-eyed because someone said his quirk was too strong for him to handle."

Shousuke's cheeks flushed a faint pink as he looked away, trying to keep his composure. His Shuuko's laughter was light, almost nostalgic as she patted his shoulder.

"Remember how you'd always run straight to me after class? 'Mom, it's too hard! I can't do it!'" she mimicked in a playful, high-pitched voice, much to Shousuke's silent horror.

"Pffft!" Shousuke then heard snickering from behind him and turned to see Mineta sheepishly laughing at him.

Shousuke's mind flashed back to those early days when he struggled to control his quirk, the overwhelming energy inside him spilling out uncontrollably. It had taken years of patience, effort, and support to gain the mastery he had now.

"And don't forget how your older brother used to take you outside and train with you every weekend," she added with a soft chuckle. "He'd stay out there for hours, helping you manage it. And now, look at you—teaching others. It's like watching him all over again."

Shousuke's embarrassment deepened as he thought of his older brother, the one who had been his guiding hand. His brother had always been there, showing him the ropes, teaching him how to channel his power with precision. Now, the tables had turned, and Shousuke found himself in the role of mentor to his classmates, the ones he'd just pushed to their limits.

His Shuuko smiled warmly, her teasing tone softening into something more affectionate. "You've grown so much, Shousuke. I'm proud of the man you've become."

Despite his flustered state, Shousuke glanced up at her, his expression still quiet, but his eyes conveyed gratitude. He wasn't one for words, but the bond they shared needed none. The gentle warmth of her hand on his head lingered, reminding him of how far he'd come.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop embarrassing you now," she said with a chuckle, noticing his growing discomfort. She gave him one last affectionate pat before stepping back.

Shousuke, still red-faced, gave a quick nod of thanks and turned to leave, retreating into the house. His Shuuko watched him with a fond smile, proud of the strong, capable young man who had once needed so much guidance, and now stood as a leader in his own quiet, resilient way.

chapter word count: 4520