Hey Everyone! Thank you for the reviews, I really do appreciate them all. I've been getting some pretty great feedback, so I will try to uphold my reputation!
Anyways, I don't have much to say so I'll prolly just jump into it.
Disclaimer: Naruto and MHA belong to extremely rich Japanese artists! I…Rich…Japanese…Not even close. :'(
Chapter 4: Uzumaki vs. UA
In the UA Section
"No way…I get that Ashido-san is probably not the strongest competitor…but Uzumaki-san knocked her out cold in one strike…" Izuku shook slightly, seeing the blonde stare down his other competition.
The sight in front of him was more intimidating now than ever. When Present Mic stirred the already exploding crowd, the masked blonde stood unmoving with the entirety of the stadium in the background. Their horned classmate laid limp at his feet, blood pooling around her mouth and limbs hung motionessly.
The friendly rivalry Sports Festival had taken a slight turn violent, and Uzumaki had the arena eating out of the palm of his hand. It almost looked like a Gladiator pit, with a victor earning their viewers' respect through lethal battle.
…and the blue eyed Uzumaki had flipped the entire confidence of the finalists into a fray. Ashido was not a slouch in physical combat, meaning she could take a hit and keep chugging onwards…yet one expertly placed kick rattled her brain into submission.
A small part of him hoped that Uzumaki's deception in the early stages was just coverage for a poor Quirk, however, even with a weaker Quirk, judging from his devastative heel kick, Uzumaki's combat skill more than made up for it.
Seeing all this…Midoirya didn't know who he wanted to fight less…Todoroki, Bakugo, or Uzumaki.
Uraraka gaped bug-eyed, at the blonde's Quirk usage. "Deku-kun…did you see his Quirk? I could be wrong, but did he just use a Gravity Manipulation Quirk like mine?" The bubbly girl subsided considerably after witnessing the gruesome ending.
It did look exactly like that, but Gravity had no counteracting noises, unlike the pang that rang loudly upon activation. "Kaa-chan has a similar Quirk, but her's only makes a slight noise. Her Quirk is object attraction, but even so, he moved a person not an object." Deku sadly watched as Mina was lifted into a stretcher manned by two field agents.
His mother's Quirk was nowhere near as powerful as Uzumaki's. Uraraka-san didn't sound so far off regardless. Some sort of Gravity Manipulation or Attraction Quirk? They wouldn't know until somebody told them or the blonde said himself.
"His Quirk is strong though! Mina-chan went flying at him! Not that I think he's cool or anything after what he did to Mina-chan, but…yeah." Denki dropped his head down from the row above them to add his thoughts.
Mineta jittered crazily in his seat. "He just hit a girl like it was nothing! Is he crazy or something?!" The Pop Off Quirk user chewed his fingernails indiscriminately.
Kirishima folded his arms over his chest. "No, I think he was taking her as any competitor would. But I agree too, does the guy seriously have no restraint?" The Future Red Riot smacked his fist into his hand.
"I mean Aizawa-sensei did say he was a contracted Villain before UA. In a dojo, my own used to compete against, their motto was, 'Strike First. Strike Hard. No Mercy.' Meaning, 'No Mercy', as in defeating weak opponents the same way they would fight tough opponents. I don't believe Ashido-san is weak, far from it actually, but I presume Uzumaki does." Ojiro, the Tail Quirk user, summarized his own conclusion on the masked blonde's fighting style.
Collectively as a group of 1-A students getting closer knit as the year went on, someone actively dismissing the integrity of their classmates was despicable. Not only did Uzumaki insult Ashido's worth…but he insulted all their own as well. Besides Todoroki and Bakugo, many believed Mina to be a tough opponent, so thinking her weak, was a shot at them all.
"So not only is he a vigorous force, but his Quirk's 'unknowns' are still hung over our heads. Added on with all the silent pokes at our own classmates and the finalists still present. We have a massive blockade in front of us and we had no clue, because he manipulated us into playing his hand for him." Izuku theorized with a downcast look, granting many distraught looks around him.
"…You're all letting Uzumaki-san into your head, kero. He wants you to lose determination, because that's how he operates…like a Villain. Falling for his tricks will only make us look all incompetent, kero." Asui, the Frog Quirk user, intruded upon the conversation after listening to her classmates dig themselves their own graves.
She peered at Bakugo's reaction during the group's rambling and he looked about to burst with rage. Whether people admitted it or not, the ashy blonde was very intelligent and most likely noticed the masked blonde's mind games getting to them all. Bakugo hated to lose, and if Uzumaki made 1-A look easily flustered by substantial force, his own draft stock would deteriorate along with theirs.
Stepping in visibly calmed the Explosive Quirk user, in a way. And as in calm, she meant the red eyed teenager went from his boiling rage, to his constant angered expression. To her it was funny seeing the belligerently frustrated Bakugo…but UA probably wouldn't enjoy the damages an enraged Katsuki Bakugo would leave in his wake.
"Asui-san is right! Don't mind, win or lose, Japan is still here to see us succeed!" Hagakure waved her hands, signifying her belief in their success.
If the finalists got lost in their thoughts, it would reflect poorly on those who didn't make it to the final tournament. If their best didn't showcase the skills she knew they had, 1-A could be replaced with others they thought were more liable for the Hero course!
Izuku looked aspiringly at Asui and Hagakure. 'How can Asui-san be so level-headed! I keep making mistakes, but she is so cool!' The black and green haired boy gushed.
Gazing around at his classmates, the Frog Quirk user seemed to calm some of their nerves. Some of them had lost themselves so far in their own thoughts that they completely disregarded the reputation they were meant to uphold.
"Can these two promising UA students match the previous matches' intensity?!" The Voice Quirk commentator bellowed, exciting the fans below.
The remaining 1-A students turned vibrantly to the center stage. Many had anticipated the fight to be pretty spectacular based upon the strength of the two rivaling Quirks.
"Yeaah! From 1-A we have Queen Versatility, Momo Yaoyoruzu!" The mohawked hero yelled. Many female Heroes hastily drew their phones to add a beautiful and strong Hero to intern potentials.
Standing directly across from her was her opponent. "Sugoi! Also from the Hero Course 1-A, the Shadowy Fumikage Tokoyami!" Present Mic pointed two finger guns at the proverbial camera.
"Fighters ready?!…Go!" Midnight cracked her whip seductively.
Ten Minutes Before
Class 1-B sat stunned throughout the whole uncovering of Uzumaki's past discrepancies.
Naruto Uzumaki…an ex-Villain? Some reacted the same as the crowd, befuddled and upset, while others looked on quietly.
Most of them had their chances at agencies stripped from them by the blonde, only to find out he's been an indirect enemy all along. How were they supposed to react? Accepting it and moving on was easier said than done. Even with All Might's interference, they couldn't rally with the onlookers.
Forgive and forget…so simple in concept…but deceivingly difficult in execution.
Not only was he an ex-Villain now registered in UA, but he was also registered in a course gunning for a spot in the Hero Course. Feeling threatened and desperate to prove themselves seemed more liable than ever. But with the few members in the finals from 1-B, they all looked substantially weaker than the top course.
Itsuka peered at the melancholy reaction of her class. Subduing chaos in her class was her responsibility, yet even she felt slightly betrayed by UA and the masked blonde. Was everything some sort of ploy to defeat all the Hero students?
…defeat all the Hero students…yes, of course.
"W-wait! Don't blame him just yet. I get that everyone is upset, I am too…but…imagine the outcome if he defeats all the 1-A fighters as well. If one of the 1-A students was able to defeat Uzumaki-san, then we would be seen as weaker, because we lost to a person 1-A beat. However, what if Uzumaki-san beats them all? All the pointed fingers of who's stronger, would recede dramatically, and neither class could claim strongest since we'd all be on the losing end." The orange haired girl slapped her knuckle into her fist, watching dramatically as eyes recognized her claim.
Though for some…"But we still lost! How can we demonstrate our class's superiority if we both lose! I mean Tetsutetsu-san and Shiozaki-san are still in you know!" Monoma's face barred with disbelief and resentment.
"I know that. But, I already thought that was a given, I'm just thinking about the best case scenarios out of the poor situation we're in. If Shiozaki-san and/or Tetsutetsu-san make it to the finals, that would be the best option for us, but we have to consider other things as well. I just don't want us to be disappointed if another one of our wishes was snapped in two, that's all!" Itsuka calmly carried on, slightly scaring Monoma for not raising her fist at him.
For 1-B it was hard to swallow their pride. The Big Fist Quirk user understood perfectly how they felt about it all. Being underhanded in the lower stages by an ex-Villain who happened to now be a Gen Ed student, was a hard pill to swallow.
Underestimating the true deceitful nature of the masked blonde left not only them, but 1-A as well, looking like fools. He targeted 1-B teams in the Cavalry Battle, that fact was undeniable, but it seemed like he planned it all. Maybe Itsuka was reaching, but the blonde Uzumaki might have arranged to embarrass them all on Japan national television from the very beginning…
"Even so, you heard All Might, he really is a good person, all he needs is a chance. We all need a chance to prove ourselves fit to be Heroes, but for him he has to gain people's trust and respect before he can even be given a chance. We as Heroes should see the best in people, so…as Class Representative, I say at least act in consideration. You never know…if he gets Top 3, he's automatically enrolled in one of the Hero classes and could be our new classmate." The emerald eyed teenager garnered many gleams of admiration from her classmates. Monoma and his teammates still held a constipated expression, more the Copy blonde than the others.
1-B held Itsuka on such a high podium because of her character that the provisional speech held much sway in their minds. It was almost as if a subconscious itch adhered to her every word because she was so sagely correct in some instances.
Tokage glanced at her Class Rep's face moulded in victory. "Ahh…I see. Protecting your man…how scandalous…" The dark green haired girl leaned in closely, whispering in a teasing tone.
"H-hold on, my man?! I-I was only doing it because I meant it, not because he's cu…" The orange haired girl cut herself off abruptly, red streaks streamed steadily upon her cheeks. He…may be…ahum…ok looking, but she strictly spoke only to calm the others wandering thoughts.
"Oh Kendo-san, I can't beli-" Setsuna was loudly interrupted by Midnight announcing the start of the fight.
As if saved by the sudden intrudance, Kendo leveled her head hastily to the center stage, only to witness a venomous right heel devastate the pink 1-A student.
The entire Hero class watched shockingly as the now limp Acid Quirk user flew several feet before rolling to a stop. The speed, precision, and raw power tightly packed into a simple axe kick, seemingly snagged the consciousness from the 1-A Hero.
"Winner by Incapacitation! Naruto Uzumaki!"
Monoma's smug smirk returned in full force. If Itsuka wanted him to give Uzumaki a shot, then he would! If the masked blonde beat every 1-A bum like this…then he definitely would have no problem at all. Of course, he would like to do it himself way more, but this…this was great as well.
Itsuka saw the menacing impression plastered on the Copy Quirk user's face too late as he jumped onto the dividing barrier between the classes again.
"Again?! Hahaha Lights out for Pinky! Hahaha-ooof!" Monoma's maniacal laughs were silenced by the enlarged fist of his Class Rep…again.
Itsuka was far more disappointed than she was angry. Monoma was only really antsy when 1-A was in his line of sight. It was almost like dangling a banana in front of a monkey and not expecting them to go berserk.
As Tsubaraba dragged the unresponsive blonde back to his seat, the green eyed teenager gazed at the masked blonde below. Uzumaki returned his hands to his pockets, acting like his match was the most nonchalant activity.
He glanced at the horned girl in front of him being carried onto a stretcher before turning his attention towards the UA section. Although not being close to the field, she could feel his half-lidded, oceanic eyes studying them all.
Present Mic had come over the Stadium speakers, but the zeroed attentiveness of Naruto Uzumaki sent cold sparks down her spine.
Then as soon as the precarious moment began…it ended just as quickly, leaving her guessing as to how such an ominous feeling sprouted so briefly.
Itsuka bit her lip seamlessly as the blonde walked past the proud looking 18+ Only Hero.
Top 10 Pro Heroes
"Woah! I-I have to call my secretary too!" Mirko fumbled her phone in her hands, ignoring the odd looks she received after she pulled it seemingly out of nowhere.
'So now she's interested…' The Top 10 sweatdropped collectively. Mirko was a sucker for someone with great combat skill, almost to the point where she disregarded everything else. It was almost concerning how much the Bunny Hero enjoyed confrontation.
However, none could blame her. Uzumaki had shown such ease in his movements that it was evident he was a skilled fighter. The impressive thing was that his showcase of refined technique was better than some Heroes already, and the match had only been ten seconds!
Raw ability in Tactics and Hand-to-hand combat was rare for students his age, ex-Villain or not. Another turn-on was the fact that he had much experience already with field work…while not technically applicable to Hero experience, it was real world articulation nonetheless.
The tanned Bunny Hero clamped her thighs after her insanely short phone call, consisting of 'Naruto Uzumaki intern' and nothing else. "Hah. I have this internship in the bag no problem…" Mirko whispered more to herself than her comrades.
"So you've finally changed your ways, thank the heavens! But we have already staked our claim as well!" Crust comically cried with fringed tears in his eyes.
The toned woman glared, "Hah…as if he wouldn't choose someone who specializes in close combat. Forget what I said before, Naruto Uzumaki will be an intern at my agency after a kick like that!"
"Oh? Are you sure? There has only been one match for Uzumaki-kun so far." Ryukyu stated amusingly.
Mirko thought it over for a second. "I may not have the best eye for talent, but I know a fellow specialist when I see one. Uzumaki had no hesitation, no exaggerated movements, and no physical limitations. Why would I pass and wait for others to sink their claws before me?" The tanned woman explained, getting total agreement from the Top 10.
"I'm not sure how much of a chance you have…I mean Hawks-san and Uzumaki-san are more related personality wise. Shouldn't he go to an agency with a Hero most fitted to himself." Gang Orca interrupted, reflecting on how Uzumaki replicated Keigo so effortlessly.
"I too thought that as well. Not that I won't try to sway the young boy to my own any less." Best Jeanist slicked his index and thumb through his sleek hair.
Takami kept one hand behind his head, boringly listening in. It seemed the others were already drawing him to be the most likely to land Uzumaki, not that he thought any differently. The masked blonde was too good a chance to pass on to other agencies, it was slightly unfortunate that he didn't get to meet the other blonde beforehand.
Mirko scoffed, "As if the troublemaking diva would be a good influence." She sent the Red Winged Hero a smug smirk.
"…that's cool." Keigo yawned with one eye closed.
The Bunny Hero leapt out of her seat, "You think you're better than me?!" Mirko sought the hood of his jacket to choke him, but being held back by the others near her prevented such.
…Hawks stayed put, perfectly fine with ignoring Mirko as she wrestled against the grasps of Ryukyu and Crust. His antagonistic behavior made her seeth.
Such a bizarre scene from the Top 10 was a rarity…the others were just thankful for their booth being so secluded from the general public.
"Yeaah! From 1-A we have Queen Versatility, Momo Yaoyoruzu!" The commotion picked up once more, directing the Pro Heroes attention to center stage.
"Sugoi! Also from the Hero Course 1-A, the Shadowy, Fumikage Tokoyami!" Present Mic blared over the stadium speakers.
Mirko immediately transfixed her eyesight upon the arena floor. However, the Bunny Hero wasn't the only female Hero anticipating a great showing from the recommended UA girl from 1-A.
Momo Yaoyoruzu had tremendous potential with her Quirk, Creation. Though strong feminine Heroes were fairly common, the addition of more great role models for young girls needed constant conditioning.
Yaoyoruzu had appeal and genius intellect, regardless of gender, she was a worthy appointed recommendation.
Keigo cracked open his eyes after hearing the unruly silence from Mirko. '…Her attention was drawn instantly, just like a child…How funny.' The Red Winged Hero smirked slightly.
"You know Bunny-san…all that kick this and kick that talk, makes me question your sanity. You'd think the media would've called you a battle junkie by now." Takami's face contorted into a smug smirk, knowing he had pushed a button.
Creaking eerily, the tanned Hero turned in her seat, forehead sprouting with tick-marks. "Damn you!" She raged, trying to get out of her seat once more.
Locker Room Tunnel
Naruto was heading back to the stands, waiting upon his next opponent.
"So you won huh?" A familiar voice broke through the echoing clacks of his heels.
Leaning against the cool and clammy wall was his classmate, Hitoshi Shinso.
Shinso's match had gone the exact way he prescribed it to be. Of course, he didn't wish for the Brainwashing Quirk user to lose, but it was destined so by the outcome of the pre-selections. Whether Hitoshi admitted to himself or not, simply wanting to be a Hero student would never be enough.
Shinso needed to not rely solely upon his Quirk, like so many others do. More than a few things went into the infrastructure of one's abilities to combat and strategize within a decree of battle. Although Shinso was fundamentally sound in the areas concerning usage of tactics, his physical attributes were still average.
With a Quirk like the purple haired teenager's, he could never expect opponents to always respond audibly to his taunts, especially if his Quirk's weakness was discovered.
Naruto nodded, stopping to the side of Shinso. The same boring eyes glanced at the blonde's emotionless face, trying to garner any explicit emotion after such a display. "The whole stadium's buzz about the 'ex-Villain turned UA Gen Ed student' has yet to cease. It is mesmerizing watching people be manipulated. After all, they all feel they have made a choice out of their own free-will. Did you expect all that to happen?" Hitoshi deadpanned.
"No. Of anything I expected Present Mic to announce my origins, but not All Might coming to my defense. It's truly unbelievable how one person's words can cause such an effect." The masked blonde gazed lazily down the tunnel from where he came.
"Yeah." The dull violet eyed teenager, blandly replied.
Naruto raised his head, "How about your match?" He asked bluntly.
Shinso curled an eyebrow confusingly. Had Uzumaki not watched his match or something? "Midoriya defeated me or did you not see it?" He replied.
"I saw it. It went as I expected." The masked blonde turned towards the slightly angered Brainwashing user. "Midoriya has some sort of stock-piled power Quirk that was moderately applicable to breaking out of your control." The masked blonde summarized shortly.
It wasn't a long drawn out match, no, Midoriya had soundly defeated Shinso after dismantling the purple haired boy's Quirk. Not only that, but the freckled boy never used his Quirk to combat Hitoshi, which meant he physically overpowered the Brainwasher.
"I overestimated my Quirk. I guess I had limitations to certain Quirk users, especially those with empowerments." Hypothetically speaking, depending on his opponent's strength, Shinso could control pretty much 99% of the Hero World, it just so happened, a specific type of energetically based Quirks were the hardest to completely command.
Although, Naruto did compare the uncanny resemblance of output energy. Midoriya's activation sounds identical to All Might's.
Naruto closed his eyes momentarily, "Your Quirk will only get stronger if you do it. Depending on your hypnosis won't save you forever, but I suppose you already knew that." The blonde concluded.
Hitoshi nodded with slightly grit teeth. "What are you going to do now? One of us not making it far into the Finals is disappointing enough. Two would be incredibly dissatisfying…yet, I feel you still have something planned." The Brainwashing Quirk user theroized.
"I do. I still have to showcase my worth after all. A win against a physically and mentally weaker opponent, proves nothing." Naruto stoically said under his black mask.
The purple haired teenager grumbled in his head. 'A 1-A Student making it into the Finals…weak?…What does that make everyone else to him?'
Naruto focused his fluorescent blue eyes on his classmate, "…I expected you to be more upset, all things considering. Did you have a change of heart?" The masked blonde feigned curiosity, although he knew the reason for his absent brooding.
Earlier on, Naruto had seen Shinso return to the stands, finding Class 1-C encouraging his efforts. The pride was evident on their faces, most if not all of them expecting neither him nor Shinso to make it as far as they did.
The blonde supposed Hitoshi thought losing brought shame upon himself and his dreams, and being the leader of their Class, he felt he had failed them.
Expectantly, the introspective period he had after his match, faded slightly because of said encouragement. Just like everyone else…Hitoshi had dreams too…and hearing people actually praise his Quirk, was disorienting for him.
Unintentionally, the Brainwashing Quirk user, motivated his classmates to strive for their own goals. All they needed was for one person to show them that repeated mediocrity can improve if they tried and believed hard enough.
"Sort of…people just gave me some things to think about…" Shinso pointed his chin to the ceiling. It was obvious to the blonde that he wanted to figure out his problems on his own.
The blue eyed Uzumaki lazily nodded, hands still confined to his UA gym uniform pockets. "…I have to go prepare for my next match. Hopefully I can influence 1-C to do their best as well." Naruto slowly stroud off, leaving the purple-haired boy behind once more.
"Goodluck Uzumaki, not that you need it anyway." Shinso scoffed playfully.
The masked blonde stuck his left hand out to the side l, acknowledging the Gen Ed student with an uncharacteristic thumbs up.
The Brainwashing Quirk user stayed stagnant and collected his thoughts as the footsteps grew more distant. Knowing Uzumaki for only so long, Hitoshi could somewhat reconcile on what strategic path the blonde would make.
So far, Naruto seemed to favor the strategic high ground above all else. Luring others into a false sense of complacency, came easy to the masked blonde. Surprisingly, the ease with which others fell for his strategic mind was disturbing. Shinso wouldn't have flinched if someone told him Uzumaki had planned such an outcome from the very beginning.
Every move was excellingly attributed to a best case scenario for the blonde. Hitoshi wished there was a way to witness the blonde take an IQ test, just to settle his own strategic mind.
It sounds cliche, but Naruto Uzumaki's mind was probably his most dangerous weapon, bar-none.
Unfamiliar footsteps snapped the purple haired teenager from his trance. Approaching from his left was the black haired girl from 1-A, obviously en route to her own match.
Seeing how the next fight was soon to begin, Shinso made his way to the 1-C section, considering he lost his match already.
UA Section
Naruto approached Class 1-B as he had done before. No one had turned to discover who was returning to their section for reasons entirely obvious to himself.
The announcement of his mysterious past, although extremely devoid of personal details, may have completely changed the way these Hero courses thought about him. He had already rid most of them of their own chances to validate their placement in the most prestigious position of UA. Sometimes even he forgets the path to one's own goals, may tramp over many who seek the same.
It was too bad nonetheless, the blonde's goal was too inquisitive compared to lowly dreams of fame and fortune.
"Ah, Uzumaki-san, uhm…congratulations on passing the first round." An orange head swiveled in their seat to face the lazy blonde as he seated himself.
"Oh. Thank you Kendo-san, it was not too difficult." Many eavesdropping, sweatdropped hearing his dismissal.
Itsuka smiled, although the grin seemed shaky. "…uh All Might must think highly of you after the…you know." The Big Fist user nervously avoided his previous status.
Naruto lowered his head onto his enclosed fist boringly, "It was unexpected, nothing I couldn't have handled on my own though." Truthfully, the masked blonde had been ostracized for his past before, it was nothing new.
Before Itsuka could question his deflection, a certain green haired girl interrupted her. "An ex-Villain huh?! I would've peed myself if I had an entire stadium screaming at me like that. You sure are full of surprises, Uzumaki-kun. Your Quirk is pretty strong too, hopefully you keep winning so you can be in our class." Tokage slithered her tongue over her lips, leading to a sickly sweet glance from Itsuka.
"Haha, that was the most satisfying match I've ever seen! The way Pink girl went flying was hilar-oof!" The sudden intrudance from Monoma was expectantly shut down by an enlarged fist.
As Itsuka was distracted by the Copy Blonde, questions rained in from all of 1-B. Faces from all angles encircled the uncomfortable blonde.
"Are you going to be in 1-B now?!"
"Did you fight All Might?!"
"Is Midnight-sensei your mom?!"
"Were you some criminal mastermind?"
"Did you target us on purpose?"
"What's your Quirk?"
"Are you stronger than 1-A?!"
Naruto glanced strangely at the students from 1-B suddenly acknowledging his presence. He wasn't used to such…attention…it was, honestly, very uncomfortable. He may read people well, but in a socially progressing talk, he may as well be the most inept.
Plus the question about Midnight being his mother, left him staring strangely at Tsuburaba.
"Yeaah! From 1-A we have Queen Versatility, Momo Yaoyoruzu!" As if saved by the bell, everyone immediately backed off. They were confusingly attentive to all things 1-A, it was kind of comical.
"Sugoi! Also from the Hero Course 1-A, the Shadowy, Fumikage Tokoyami!"
Present Mic may have been a little loud for his taste, but at least he inadvertently saved him from answering a rapidly bizarre interrogation.
(Canon Fight)
Naruto frowned under his mask. Momo Yaoyoruzu had exactly performed how he expected her to. The voluptuous girl overthunk her battles and was afraid to make mistakes, which led to her being rather ineffective on the field. A Quirk like hers was so diverse she had almost no limits when it came to inorganic devices.
Such an ability was a waste on someone who spent too much time in their own head then enacting in the line of duty. Not that he didn't believe she couldn't improve on such a weakness. Her weakness, if composed correctly, could be one of her greatest weapons, but that step was easier said than done.
The girl needed experience, which a UA student had little of. Hopefully, she would still land an internship to improve her, less than functional, battle qualifications.
With that being said, Tokoyami had an impressive Quirk as well. A sentient Quirk was extremely rare, and one as powerful as his was almost never seen.
He preyed upon Yaoyoruzu's over analysis expertly, and displayed impressive ability in the Cavalry Battle as well. Him as an opponent would be troubling for anyone else, but for Naruto, a plan had already been divided in dealing with the Quirk best fitted for the shadows.
"From Class 1-B, the Intense Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu!" The Steel user roared with his arms raised over his head.
"Ooh and from Class 1-A, the manly Ejirio Kirishima!" The sensation of Deja-Vu enacted immediately as the red-haired boy did the exact same.
(Canon Fight)
"C'mon Tetsutetsu! Get up!" The Class 1-B students shouted at their grey haired classmate after the double-knockout display.
Disappointingly neither stood.
Either way, it didn't matter, knowing a result like this led to a brief challenge constructed by the proctor.
"He still has a chance everyone! Calm down!" Itsuka tried her best to diffuse the ruckus currently undertaking some of the more competitive 1-B students.
In the end, Midnight relayed to the Stadium about the arm-wrestling match to occur when both had recovered. Though the widely entertaining fight composed of straight endurance comparable by two extremely similar Quirks ended abruptly, the next match hadn't rid any excitement.
Katsuki Bakugo, UA's first year representative, would battle for the finale of the Round of 16. Many had bet on the exploding blonde to win the entire tournament, so it was not surprising to witness news outlets shuffling for the best angles.
"Yeaah! He's explosively determined, and somewhat of a hothead, from Class 1-A, the number one ranked in the UA Exams, Katsuki Bakugo!" Thunderous applause ceremounted most introductions, except Shouto Todoroki.
"Annd now, From 1-A as well, the gravitationally sound Ochako Uraraka!" Naruto could almost feel the looms of pity thrown the girl's way. She didn't have the combat ability of the ashy blonde, but she still looked composed nevertheless.
The masked blonde garnered a small tinge of respect for the brown haired girl as a result.
(Canon Fight)
Seeing the bubbly 1-A girl almost defeat Bakugo was excitable for the entire crowd. The fact that the blonde had brutally beat her down for the entire fight had enraged the crowd, so seeing her give him a challenge was satisfying.
However, Bakugo was too much of a force for her to overcome, resulting in her losing consciousness in the final stretches of the match.
She fought well, but her ability to combat frontal challenges was inferior to the ashy blonde. Her Quirk was definitely one that had much potential, so her limitations were only reduced by her imagination.
Bakugo, like any other, had limits. Although that was true, his limits were exceeding those of his classmates, evidently showing he was no stranger to training his Quirk.
Another thing people may have missed, was the fact that Bakugo was excellently composed (although he looked enraged) and intelligent in battle. He never wasted movements and used his physical attributes in conjunction with his Quirk, resulting in impressive maneuvers and increasingly difficult strides to combat.
Like Todoroki, the ashy blonde already had the arsenal to become a side-kick, and it would still be a definitively close match with both.
Kirishima and Tetsutetsu had recovered tremendously fast, leading to an inevitable matchup once more. Although the challengers were relatively close in Quirk strength, the endurance of Kirishima reigned King.
1-B had visibly quieted at the time of defeat, leaving Monoma to scrounge around in his seat. Figuratively, the battle between the two was a metaphor to how close the classes were in strength, and if Tetsutetsu were to win, their Class would be seen as stronger for once.
Unfortunately, the Steel Quirk user lost, which put Shiozaki in a tough position. The green haired girl was going to be pressured into performing well under the circumstance that she solely represented them now.
Second Round
After an interval in which competitors stuck to strategically planning and fixing their wounds, the Quarterfinals was set to begin.
"Welcome back! The Contenders are lined up and ready to dance! Yeaah!" Present Mic hopped around in the booth, much tk the annoyance of his companion.
Match 9: Izuku Midoriya vs. Shoto Todoroki
Match 10: Ibara Shiozaki vs. Tenya Iida
Match 11: Naruto Uzumaki vs. Fumikage Tokoyami
Match 12: Ejirio Kirishima vs. Katsuki Bakugo
Expectantly, with the lesser amount of students left, the time within the matches decreased. Therefore, the fights were going to happen quickly, one right after another.
Local news networks and internet live streams, maxed out in viewer attendance, leaving the first years to be the most viewed UA Sports Festival age group over their upperclassmen.
Mirio Togata was dominating the Third Year bracket as always, leaving the attendance to drop to view more balanced age groups. Expectedly, the First Years received the most popularity due to the fact 1-A had fought Villains in their first semester of school…and won.
Many believed these kids to be the next best generation of Heroes, led by Bakugo and Todoroki, with up and rising stars upon the rest of 1-A.
At least, those headlines were the beginning audience engaging segments. Now…now they had an unsuspecting ex-Villain registered in the first year Gen Ed class. Breaking news infiltrated Social Media, sending many fans flocking to get a glimpse of this Gen Ed student who was causing an uproar in the Hero community.
250,000 Live in Attendance fans littered the seating. 15,000 Heroes looking for interns and potential future sidekicks, this included 6 of the Top 10 Heroes, and 24,000,000 online or TV watchers, ranging from all across Japan. A sixth of 'the Land of the Rising Sun' was witnessing the up-coming Hero students from UA battle out their final rounds.
All of this for first years, who hadn't even finished their first semester. It was a truly record-breaking viewership that surmounted most sports events across the globe.
"Alright! What's going on! Let's get the Quarterfinals, sponsored by Cola-Coke, underway!" The Voice Quirk user hyped the overflowing UA Stadium.
The Half and Half user, Shoto Todoroki, stood expressionlessly across from his opponent. White and Red hair split down the middle, swayed in the light breeze while his mismatched colored eyes never left the boy across Center Stage. "He's shown us his potential from a quick first round win, from 1-A, the Ullr, Shoto Todoroki!" Endeavor stood a few rows up, escreating his Fire tauntingly at his son.
Izuku stood defiangly against one if not his strongest classmate. Putting up a fight against Todoroki would not only prove to All Might, but himself as well, that he could fight even while hurting himself. If he could beat a strong opponent, then there was so much potential to get stronger. "His victory was a close one, but his willpower held strong, from 1-A, the Freckled Menace, Izuku Midoriya!" All Might sat in his skeletal form, gripping his kneecaps in nervousness. Todoroki was going to be an extremely tough opponent and his protege was not yet strong enough to contain One for All, but he had faith nonetheless.
"Fighters Ready?!…Go!" Midnight cracked her whip resoundingly, watching as Todoroki launched a straight lined Ice Attack towards the Ninth Successor.
(Canon Fight)
'Midoriya let him win by activating his Fire…how stupidly foolish. Also, by injuring himself extensively during the match, he distractedly showed that he was unfit for Hero work by disregarding his limits.' Naruto sat lazily, observing as Cemetoss and Midnight ended the fight. Todoroki was the only one left standing after the impressive blast shook the confines of the stadium.
Midoriya had heart, no one could disagree with that, but he was a slave to his morals and All Might, as shown letting his opponents win so he could feel better about himself in return. It was a sickening reversal of how Naruto would have handled the Half and Half user.
"Sugoi…they were both so strong, I think I would lose to both of them…so amazing." Itsuka said with her jaw dropped, some of 1-B nodding as well.
The Fight was pretty spectacular from a fan standpoint, but from a Heroes perspective, both fighters still had many things to improve on. For one, Todoroki was too simple in attack, relying on brute force over skill. And Midoriya, the more he used his Quirk, the more severe his injuries were, leaving him vulnerable for multiple staged Hero missions.
Although, the way Endeavor was salivating on the sidelines over his 'greatest masterpiece' finally utilizing his 'own' power, many probably thought Todoroki was more powerful than he was. And…they were right in a way…but when the time comes for him to go against someone who has equal or had more brute strength then his own, he'd lose drastically.
Shaken from his analysis, Kendo turned around concerningly, "…You've been quiet Uzumaki-san…are you nervous?" The Big Fist User stared at him.
As expected from the Class Rep, stoic oceanic eyes gaze at her. "Nervous? No. My opponent is not as strong as Todoroki." The masked blonde boringly drew out, voice devoid of emotion.
"W-what about Midoriya-san? He put on an impressive display, don't you think?" The emerald eyed girl embarrassingly replied after reading the blonde's impassiveness wrong.
The wavy blonde Uzumaki shook his head. "Maybe impressive to the fans, but not the Heroes. He basically incapacitated himself, that's not very promising when the draft for interns comes along." The comment led to Itsuka and some of the surrounding students to silently observe the Heroes frowning towards the 1-A student.
"Oh. I guess I overlooked that. But, isn't Tokoyami-san a strong opponent as well? I mean, he has a Quirk that's powerful and super rare." The slender girl asked curiously.
Naruto nodded. "Yes he is. I think I'll be okay, I know how his Quirk operates." Indeed he did. During the Cavalry Battle, it was rather easy to overhear Tokoyami explaining how much control he had over his Quirk.
"Hmm, Yes, I love when the side character overpowers the protagonists, he said the same thing about Pinky." Monoma smugly intervened.
'Side Character?' The others around him sweatdropped. What was he talking about?
At the sight of Tenya Iida entering from the 1-A tunnel after Cementoos reimbursed the foundation, the crowd loudened. Naruto and 1-B looked to the Center Stage in anticipation of Match 10, and the last of 1-B's competitors.
Iida lined up, trying to stand proudly after being belittled in his previous match to someone who could have easily beat him with just gadgets. Although a win, it was a massive hit to his pride, being humiliated on live TV in front of his family. He was determined to reinstate his Family's name with Honor after such a showing. "His first match was…let's skip that! From 1-A, the Swift Tenya Iida!" Present Mic exclaimed, getting many to laugh at his insinuation, much to the boy's embarrassment.
1-B whooped and hollered loudly as their peaceful classmate, Shiozaki, entered from the right. Although her face was deadset, tension arose in her shoulders from all of the weight of her classmates' wishes for continuous victory. "Her first match was a blowout against an electric opponent, from 1-B, the Peaceful and Loving Ibara Shiozaki!" The mohawked Hero read expertly from a cheat-sheet, making sure he didn't call her 'assassin' again.
"Fighters Ready…Go!" Iida sped off at the repetitive crack whip, weaving in between the vines approaching his form.
(Canon Fight)
The solemn silence of the UA's 1-B section was deafening. Iida from 1-A, defeated Shiozaki so handily that the match was over in just a little after Naruto's own time. He literally gripped her shoulders and ran her out of the circle…no violence…no exaggerated movements…just plainly pushed her out of the circle without a fight.
The problem with Shiozaki was that she was too dependent on her Quirk and it's abilities. Sure her Quirk was very strong, but she lacked physical prowess, in which she stayed stagnant during a fight. Therefore, her assimilated movements could only withstand certain speed ranges until they were completely overrun.
Iida, well, there wasn't much to judge on. He won fair and held back when he could've used an attack, leaving good impressions on those interested in his character.
Naruto's fight had come up rather quickly, faster than he expected. If the crow-headed boy responded how he wanted him too, Naruto would have another quick fight in his hands.
As the others half-wittingly wished him good luck, the masked blonde readied himself for his match. His face effortlessly contorted into his usual stoicism, but underlying seriousness and determination displayed through his mesmerizing orbs.
Down in the Arena
Nemuri idly stood waiting for the masked blonde to come strolling in. Although she was nervous, she had utmost faith in Naruto to win, but she still couldn't help but worry.
Tokoyami was one of the stronger students in 1-A, and his Quirk was probably one of the best as well. Fumikage could be an offensive and a defensive force simultaneously, thus leaving others to struggle against him.
It was seen in the Cavalry Battle on how dominating a force he could be. He had defended his team numerous times from the others directly targeting their headband. However, even with his great defensive ability in Dark Shadow, the force in Team Todoroki was too much.
Tokoyami had a weakness, she just hoped Naruto could discover and exploit it…if he hadn't already.
Booming hollers disrupted her stupor as people stood from their seats to get a glimpse at the newcomer. Looking in the opposite direction from where the crow-headed challenger entered, Kayama saw the lazy blonde entering like she thought he would.
Last rounds interference from All Might brought upon an entire fandom willing to believe Uzumaki had what it took to be a Hero. He had quickly become one of the new fan favorites, seeing how he was a Gen Ed student and had been recommended for UA. Some were still unnerved by UA's decision to allow an ex-Villain such an honor, but the disrespectful comments were kept to a minimum.
"Oh Yeah! Match 11 is coming to you live! From 1-A, he defeated a recommended student within 20 seconds, the Darkness Incarnate, Fumikage Tokoyami!" Said student, barely lifted a finger at his announcement, leaving Present Mic to sob comically.
The blonde stood opposite of the crow-faced competitor. "Here's who Japan has been waiting for! From Gen Ed, the Masked Underdog or UA's Villain Hero, Naruto Uzumaki!" His announcement was a conundrum for fans. They were still conflicted on whether to cheer for the blonde or not, knowing he was once a Villain. But just like his given title, Uzumaki was a complete oxymoron.
Midnight readied her whip, glancing to Cementoss, silently confirming his attentiveness as well. "Fighters Ready?!…Go!" Nemuri's voice reached every corner of the stadium.
"Dark Shadow!" Fumikage's sentient Quirk extended from his body with an 'Hai!' Dark Shadow raced towards the blonde who dodged each claw outreached for person.
Wild swipes and charges barraged the blonde as he weaved expertly. Even with Dark Shadows unconventional targeting, the blonde moved impeccably smooth, gliding the sentient Quirk along.
Though unnoticeable to Tokoyami, many Heroes had picked up on the openings Uzumaki was making. However unguarded he may seem to the Shadowed figure, the masked blonde was trying to get Dark Shadow to overextend.
The golden blonde was deviating from his position so that he was never directly in line with his opponent's Quirk. Unfortunately, from the beginning of the fight and with the Sun at his back, his shadow was extended towards Tokoyami, giving the Shadow Quirk user more advanced maneuverability.
From his previous fights, Naruto had discovered Tokoyami's Quirk's strength depended on how much darkness Dark Shadow could feed off of. Therefore, with more inclusion of 'dark', the sentient Quirk grew more powerful with it's display.
Uzumaki had calculated his approach in how he was going to deal with the troublesome ability beforehand. Uncovering another trepidation of his 'Quirk', Dark Shadow would become fodder for his true target.
Like Shiozaki, Tokoyami never left a certain position, finding it too difficult to fight in tandem with his Quirk while completing complicated movements. Nonetheless, targeting the host's body would shut down the crow-faced competitor.
The retraction of Dark Shadow was quick enough to react when Naruto would inevitably get close, so that would be the most troubling problem. But, like he had presumed before, a certain ability of his would effectively render such an ability…useless.
Naruto hit a cross across Dark Shadow's face, making the Quirk stumble a couple feet back. The protruding shadow reached out to wrap its arms around him…as it closed in, the masked blonde disappeared.
'Amenotejikara'
Naruto replaced himself using his 'Amenotejikara'. This allowed him to shift himself between spaces, causing anything currently occupying the space he targets to swap places with him. Whether it's to avoid an attack or replace himself when backed into a corner, this ability was extremely dependable.
Tokoyami watched as Dark Shadow enclosed his arms around the masked blonde, he was a bit perturbed as to why the blonde stopped moving. For the first few seconds, Uzumaki was dodging Dark Shadow easily, so what was he up to? His Quirk attracted things to him, so why wasn't he using it?
Suddenly, the world in front of him went dark. His body felt as if something constricted his entire midsection to a cylinder and shot him at the speed of light. The disorientation enacted right away, making his head swoon and his body struggle to keep the bowel from reaching his throat.
Naruto shifted to Tokoyami's position, replacing the crow-faced teenager to the fate of his own Quirk being used against him.
Dark Shadow's golden gleaming orbs widened upon seeing Fumikage in front of him. A millisecond…not even followed by his own superior eyes, something had happened to his partner now dazed and having trouble standing on wobbling knees.
With the momentum of the sentient Quirk not being able to switch on an immediate notice, Tokoyami was lifted off his feet into the air and sent into a tumble. Getting closer to the line, Fumikage was unable to stop as his vision began to clear.
The white light seemed to taunt his inability to stop himself as his upper body shot over the white line…and then he stopped in mid-air, the feeling of familiar arms wrapped underside his arms.
"Tokoyami's Quirk saves him from falling, but it's struggling to keep him up right!" The Voice Quirk user sounded over the Stadium speakers.
"I can't hold you much longer Tokoyami-kun, think of something!" His Quirk's shadowy face, visibly strained under his own body weight.
The masked blonde watched amusingly as the sentient shadow continuously fought to stay upright with his partner. It seemed as if they were too focused on not falling…
"You forgot about me, Tokoyami-san." Naruto stood with his hand outstretched at Dark Shadow. Both constituents' eyes widened at the voice stoically announcing itself from behind them.
"Now Dark Shadow!" Immediately, Tokoyami was launched backwards in a suplexing motion. He landed on his feet, albeit clumsily. The sentient crow fell forwards, but remained floating as his partner redirected his movement with fine-tuned control.
The Crowd roared in approval as Fumikage made an impressive move to stop himself from falling. However, even with his efforts, the boy was barely a foot from being out.
"Wooow! Tokoyami keeps him and Dark Shadow standing! Their coordination is top-notch!" Present Mic yelled out.
Naruto nearly smiled at how easily they played into his hands. With such an impressive move, the crowd just expected Tokoyami to turn it around. Dark Shadow and Fumikage worked so well together, and knowing this, the blonde made a decisive move figuring the sentient Quirk would save him.
But…none of it mattered because Tokoyami was still on the borderline, hand-delivered and slightly dazed from Amenotejikara.
It gave enough time to build up the counterpart to 'Bansho Tenin'.
'Shinra Tensei' The same audible effect as 'Bansho Tenin', rang distinctively through the Stadium sections. The pang of anti-gravity sent chilling shrivels up the closer rows of fans and Heroes.
In this move, Naruto inverted the effects of 'Bansho Tenin', in which 'Shinra Tensei' sent an object or person to a coordinate of his choosing like an invisible wall of gravitational force. Like 'Bansho Tenin', this move could go fifty miles per hour compared to his reverse effect's forty.
If he could describe the effect of being hit by such an ability it would be: A translucent force slamming into your body and dragging you as you gasp for breath.
Even a small foot would be enough. Naruto's stoic, half-lidded eyes anchored in satisfaction for a second, watching Tokoyami's confusion as to why his body wasn't moving towards the blonde.
The crow-faced teenager readied himself for the masked blonde's Quirk to pull him off his feet. Seeing the miniscule amounts of dust being swept in his direction, the 1-A Hero student braced himself. Meanwhile, Dark Shadow placed himself between his partner and Uzumaki.
…As they had strategized, Dark Shadow would adjust himself to the ability, while protecting Fumikage from the disorientation. However, Tokoyami was met with a gut-wrenching hit, sending him and Dark Shadow reeling back, unable to control their movements.
Blood leaked from the crow-faced teeenager as his back thrusted into the ground below the Center Stage. Dark Shadow, unable to control itself, slowly receded into Tokoyami's body.
Fumikage was riddled with cuts and scrapes from the impact, leaving an indent of his body. The pain was too much for the boy as he laid trying to breath, but the air had been knocked cleanly from his lungs.
Just like his classmate, Tokoyami had been claimed by darkness, driven into the confines of unconsciousness.
Cemetoss ran from his chair to the downed boy, placing a hand onto the boy's chest. The UA uniformed chest weakly rose and fell, but nothing that was life threatening or mildly concerning. The Cement controlling Hero nodded to his co-worker and motioned for a medical team.
"Winner! Naruto Uzumaki by Incapacitation!" Midnight voiced through the microphone, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
In 23 seconds, Naruto had defeated his second opponent by a landslide, signifying more display of his 'Quirk'.
In the UA Section
"No way…he beat Tokoyami-san…" Sero said, sitting with his eyes and mouth agape.
Fumikage was one the strongest in 1-A when it came to practicality, but being defeated so soundly was craziness. Was their classmate off his game…or…was Uzumaki just that strong…
Ochako, who had recovered from her fight with Bakugo, grit her teeth. "Tokoyami-kun got completely blindsided by his Quirk…I wish Deku-kun could explain it." The usually bubbly girl, shed some light tears at seeing medics pick up their motionless comrade.
Kaminari and Kyoka had come back from visiting Mina at Recovery Girl's medical room. Of course, their friend was fine, but she was going to have a little soreness in her head from receiving such a strong kick. "Tokoyami-san too…what the hell is going on? That Quirk is just too strong!" The Electrification Quirk user gripped his hair and swung his blonde locks side-to-side.
"So he can attract, repel, and switch places with people…All involving some sort of gravitational force, or the alteration of matter at the anatomic level. Maybe it's something like Uraraka-san, where instead of zero-gravity, he uses anti-gravity…or it could be Molecule manipulation as well." Momo sat behind the group with her legs crossed. Being defeated so simply by Tokoyami, to then have him be beaten so severely by someone else, beat her confidence down significantly.
Still, his Quirk was strong, very strong, yet…she felt like he was still hiding abilities from them all. Uzumaki had already taught them the lesson about underestimation and to not take things at face value.
Of course, he could have been pulling out all the stops in order to ensure he makes it into the later rounds, but the scenario felt the same as the first rounds. The masked blonde kept luring them into false acceptance of him and his abilities, only to find he had more to provide. It was like his brain operated at two to three steps faster than everyone else. How could you compete against someone who could plan for your decision before you even made it…?
"Can't he hold back a little? I mean he can easily push them out of the ring, so what's the point of injuring his opponents?" Jiro twisted her finger around her earlobe nervously, hoping for some explanation.
"Look at him…he's like a machine, there's no holding back that! He destroys and moves on, leaving no openings to chance! I wouldn't want to go against that monster!" Mineta's face morphed into a pale blue, thinking about Naruto slamming an invisible force between his legs…
Although Mineta exaggerated a tad, his classmates around him silently nodded their agreement. Naruto Uzumaki was now a dangerous opponent because all of them disregarded his strength early on. They painted a red carpet to the finals, and now that he has nothing to consider besides one on one combat, their classmates were falling like flies.
They idly wondered how Todoroki and Bakugo would deal with Uzumaki… "Bird boy down for the count! Haha, what's with the frowny faces, Haha!" Like before, Monoma from 1-B hopped their divider in order to taunt them.
…and then…Itsuka sighed heavily, having forgotten Neito once more. A quick karate chop to the back of his neck and he was out like a light. Seriously…did he also have Head Injury Regeneration for a Quirk too?!…1-B's Class Rep peeled the Copy blonde off the wall, dragging him by his collar with swirls in his eyes.
Top 10 Heroes
"Jeez, another one? This kid isn't meant to be fighting first years…" Mirko said, watching blood pool around Tokoyami's mouth, while Uzumaki slouched by the UA Proctor.
Best Jeanist swiped his forefront fingers across his blonde hair, "Hmm, I'd have to agree…correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think his opponents have landed a hit on him yet." The man elegantly crossed his lengthy, jean covered legs.
Collectively, neither Ashido nor Tokoyami had lasted more than 25 seconds on Center Stage. Nevertheless, there had been a few blowouts so far, including: Todoroki vs. Sero, Kaminari vs. Shiozaki, and Iida vs. Shiozaki. However, all of those matches lasted 20 seconds or more, and whilst close to Uzumaki's, none had incapacitated their fellow students as he had.
"Most Villains have a habit of drawing out their matches, although his status would suggest he'd do the same, he's efficient like All Might. Unfortunately, the HPSC would love a future enforcer like this: Ruthless and Fast-Working, just like Lady Nagath." Keigo voiced his opinion, whispering towards the end, reminiscing about the former Hero. He was eerily similar to the dark blue and pink haired woman, who acted similarly.
Lady Nagath was serious and disciplined. In the past, she had an optimistic outlook in her desire to be a great Hero, however her ruthless and secret work for the Public Safety Commission left her jaded and disillusioned. Being forced to kill people to preserve a false sense of security, she developed a cynical outlook on life and grew to detest the hypocrisy and fragility of hero society.
Lady Nagath and Naruto Uzumaki were nearly the same in that regard…though underneath, lay a deeper connection none were familiarized with.
Bringing up that name, Hawks had mistakenly reminded himself of the job given to him. One that he was hesitant to seek out, knowing what she was capable of if she was ever to cross paths with him again.
Gang Orca nodded vehemently at Hawks' reasoning. "The difference between the UA students and Uzumaki-san, is the fact that he has already witnessed the Hero society from an alternate point of view. Many of our upcoming students see Heroes as the highest pinnacle of society. Fame, fortune, those are the characteristics of celebrities, not Heroes. From what All Might described Uzumaki as, it wouldn't be far-fetched if he shared a more neutral view of Society as a whole…an imperfect middle ground." The Killer Whale mutant Quirk user added his own nagging thoughts.
"I agree. All the more reason to encourage one such as Uzumaki to fight for his own ideals under the law. He is a symbol already gaining recognition and support as we sit here, but he is still a child nevertheless." Ryukyu had her legs crossed femininely, patiently awaiting others' opinions.
'…still a child…' Keigo observed the stoic boy drifting towards his locker room. That was no child…one such as Naruto Uzumaki never truly had a taste of childhood. 'He's been on his own from day one…no child would survive without having mental capacity well beyond their years.' The golden blonde head disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel, never straying or acknowledging the fans screaming his name.
A Few Minutes Later
After Cementoss and the medics cleared the area of debris and miniscule amounts of blood, Bakugo and Kirishima were finally due to fight.
The stadium funneled the electricity of the fans through the speakers, shaking the foundation of the UA Colosseum at its hinges.
"He won the first round in a drawn out arm-wrestling contest, from Class 1-A, we have the Extremely Manly Ejirio Kirishima!" The red head's war cry echoed throughout the arena, banging his hardened arms together in excitement.
Across from his classmate, stood the rage filled Bakugo, ready to prove his dominance to 'red hair' and then to 'mask boy' shortly after. "He won in an impressively destructive display, from Class 1-A, King Explosion, Katsuki Bakugo!" Loud whoops and raised fists waved through the arena for the highly destructive, but entertaining boy.
"Fighter Ready?!…Go!" Kirishima charged head-on, aiming for a short battle, knowing he'd lose in a test of attrition.
"DIE!" The ashy blonde pointed his right palm in an uppercutting motion, aiming for the redhead's hardened forearm.
(Canon Fight)
"Kirishima is down! Bakugo moves on!" Present Mic exclaimed through his booth's microphone.
The decibel level in the stadium started to rupture sensitive hearing Quirked people. The entire fanbase wanted to witness another highly entertaining fight like Todoroki vs. Midoriya, and Uraraka vs. Bakugo.
"Down to our Final Four competitors, give it up for the last remaining participants!" The Voice Quirk user riled up the already impossibly loud attendees.
Match 13: Shoto Todoroki vs. Tenya Iida
Match 14: Naruto Uzumaki vs. Katsuki Bakugo
Match 15: W (13) vs. W (14)
"Who will take home the crown?! Let's have our Finalists line up!" Present Mic motioned Midnight to line up the boys in front of the eager crowd, waiting to encompass the tension between the remaining students.
Three entered from the 1-A Locker Room, while the odd man out entered from the 1-C Locker Room. All four were escorted to their respective positions, leaving the respective cameras and journalists to position themselves in the front rows.
"The Second Rated Competitor, winning both matches with high levels of unforeseen force…from 1-A, the Blistering Frost, Shoto Todoroki!" The Half and Half user stepped forward, reluctantly raising his right hand.
"The Fifth Rated Competitor, winning both matches with unmatched speed and agility…from 1-A, the Turbo Obstructor, Tenya Iida." Said blue haired boy stepped forward militaristically, bowing at the waist.
"The First Ranked Competitor, winning both matches with impressive battle IQ and Power…from 1-A, the First Year Representative, Katsuki Bakugo!" Stepping forward, it was surprising to see such venom directed at his newest opponent who ignored him effortlessly.
"Annnd lastly, he was ranked Sixtieth coming into the Sports Festival, sneaking by the competition and winning both Finals matches with brutal efficiency…from Gen Ed 1-C, the Underdog and UA's Villain Hero, Naruto Uzumaki!" The masked blonde stepped forward, nodding his head lazily before retreating back to spot. The ashy blonde next to him glared at the back of his head all the way.
The vast majority of Japan watched from their couches, train stations, TV store windows, and any device they could get their hands on. The First Year event was becoming one of the widest streamed events of the UA Sports Festival, surpassing the Golden Class led by All Might in his UA days.
For all they know, these boys could be the face of Japan in five to ten years…replacing the old and in with the new. Of course, in those years, Hawks and Mirko would be leading the generations…
Tartarus Prison
"Damn Sixtieth?! Could've fooled me…that Uzumaki boy is something else. He's really spicing up the Sport Festival with how he's defeating his opponents. They aren't censoring his knockouts either!" A random inmate commented, getting the others to throw collectibles around, betting on the winner.
A woman sitting not too far from the conversation heard the name being called over the TV Speakers. Her dark eyes shook in shock, hearing a name she hadn't heard in what felt like forever…
Turning around from where she was seated in her jumpsuit, her face only grew paler seeing a blonde haired teenager with unforgettable oceanic eyes. Although his face was masked, she could tell he was still as handsome as she remembered him.
Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, forcing her to drop her head to avoid a scene. Her orange sleeve was brought up to wipe her eyes, leaving slight red marks.
For the first time in a long time, her world grew a little lighter at seeing that face again, even if it was through a TV screen. The woman clenched her fists to her pant legs with venomous determination.
'One of these days…I will see you again my…' the figure stared with a heavy heart, hoping to see that beautiful face in person. But for now…just seeing him through a small TV screen would satisfy…barely.
End
Thank you all for reading this far. Next Chapter will finish the Sports Festival Arc and crossover into the Internship.
Follow, Fav, and Review if you enjoyed! I'm still open to pairings!
Who was the woman? How will the world react to Naruto's performance in the Sports Festival? Who will win Naruto's socially inept heart?
Keep Reading to find out!
Peace Yo!