Hey Guys!
It's AzAlexZ back with a new chapter.
This is the second chapter of the Sport's Festival Arc, I hope you all enjoy this chapter as we dive into the 1-on-1 tournament.
That's it from me! Please send any reviews, ideas, and constructive criticism my way!
Without further ado, let's get on with the new chapter, hope you all enjoy it! AzAlexZ out!
I DO NOT OWN POKEMON OR MY HERO ACADEMIA! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE RESPECTIVE AUTHORS, STUDIOS, AND PUBLICATIONS!
Chapter 7: U.A. Sports Festival Final Event. The battle begins!
The Sports Festival has reached its climax as the first and second rounds have concluded, Satoshi, Izuku, Serena, Ochaco, Tenya, and many other contestants have punched their way into the top 16, qualifying them for the 1 on 1 tournament. It's all hands on deck as the aspiring heroes are gearing up to fight for the next round. Who will advance to the second round?
Let the chapter begin…
Following the events of the last chapter:
"The rules for the 1-on-1 battle are very clear!" Present Mic continued, "the match is over or when one student is immobilized or out of bounds. You can also win if you force a student to say, 'I give up!', causing them to forfeit the match! Once again, Recovery Girl and the medical team are on standby, so don't be shy to throw out some big moves. As long as it's not life-threatening, then you can unleash whatever hell you want to!"
"If things get out of hand, I will put a stop to it to ensure the safety of everyone," Pro Hero, and U.A. staff member Cementoss stated as he created a seat out of cement on the referee stage
"Hmph, "I give up!" huh? Guess that's too bad for your friend with the weird-looking tail," Hitoshi Shinso said, trying to irritate Izuku, "I took this spot straight from him."
"READY!" Present Mic hollered as the noise from the audience, reached an all-time high, signaling the start of the last round, "GO!"
(With Izuku and Hitoshi Shinso facing off in the first match of the first round)
"This is a test on the spirit and your resolve, I guess someone like him wasn't worthy for this then," Hitoshi taunted as he references Mashirao, "I pushed him away like the pathetic fly that he was. Don't you think he's too weak to be here?"
"What the hell are you saying about my classmate?" Izuku looked with anger as he charged toward Hitoshi.
But as soon as the words left his tongue, Izuku froze. He couldn't feel his body as his mind drifted into a dark space. On the outside, Izuku was wearing a blank expression as Hitoshi smirked in response.
"Looks like I win this round. This was not even difficult, it was honestly easy, and it's over now," Hitoshi stated nonchalantly.
"Hey, what in the world is going on? Midoriya is completely frozen for no reason and in the middle of the first match?" Present Mic hollered as the audience members gasped and muttered as they witnessed something truly unbelievable.
"Can you stop yelling at the top of your lungs..." Aizawa complained as he clutched his ears.
"Darn, I even took the time to explain to him what happened to me!" Mashirao said as he face-palmed, frustrated with the events that have unfolded.
(Flashback, 30 minutes ago)
Izuku was talking to his classmate Mashirao regarding his upcoming match.
"What do you mean you don't remember anything at the end of the Obstacle race?" Izuku asked Mashirao.
"Well, I was running along in 17th place, trying to catch up with the person ahead of me, that person being your next opponent, Hitoshi Shinso, he was congratulating me on a good performance as he thought I was going to overtake him, I thought he was bluffing but I responded to him and the next thing I know, I blacked out," Mashirao responded.]
"What do you mean 'blacked out'? Did he do something to you?" Izuku asked.
"My mind, it didn't feel like my own," Mashirao added.
"So it's a quirk that can be used to control other people," Izuku stated.
"Yeah, it'd not powerful enough to alter other memories, but what I did between getting caught in his quirk, I could not remember at all," Mashirao explained.
"So, how should I defeat this quirk?" Izuku asked Mashirao, "do you have any clues as to how I can do it?"
"I know that there could be a way to avoid it," Mashirao responded, "I think the best way to do that is to not respond to what he says. That's about it."
"So if I shut my mouth, and not answer what he says without a second thought, then I won't lose." Izuku regurgitated, "I guess that's what I need to do then."
(Flashback ends)
"What is going on with Deku?" Ochaco asked as she clutched her hands.
"Get yourself together! Midoriya." Tenya yelled.
"Wow, could Hitoshi Shinso be a sleeper agent? Could he be someone super amazing?" Present Mic yelled as the crowd cheered loudly for the surprising yet favored Hitoshi Shinso.
"I guess it was right for me to say that the entrance exams were unreasonable," Aizawa interjected.
Present Mic was surprised as he turned around, giving Aizawa a curious look.
"I had files on all the individual students compiled for the individual matches. After looking at them, I found some interesting things," Aizawa stated as he held two pieces of paper, "Hitoshi Shinso's quirk had minimal effect on non-living entities, such as robots. This caused his performance in the entrance exam to be less than ideal. As a result, he applied for the General studies, knowing that he couldn't get any points."
"You're lucky to be here and have such a useful quirk, Izuku Midoriya," Hitoshi said as he looked at the field line behind Izuku "Now, turn around and walk out of bounds."
To the crowd, Izuku Midoriya did the unthinkable.
He obeyed him.
Turning towards his side of the field, Izuku began walking towards the edge of the field.
"Huh? WHAT! Midoriya is listening to Shinso's instruction?! This is unbelievable!" Present Mic hollered.
"It seems like Shinso's quirk results in the brainwashing of his opponents, compelling them to do his will," Aizawa stated as he went over the documents again.
"Izuku, you can do it!" Serena yelled as she tried to reach the green-haired boy.
Snap out of it Izuku! Satoshi thought as he looked on with a worried expression. You gotta get through this now.
Most of class 1-A, as well as All Might, were watching in horror as Izuku continued to walk slowly, but surely, towards the finish line.
I can't feel my body! I can't control it! It's moving on its own! Damn it! My mind is in a haze! Izuku thought as he tried to fight the compelling force of Hitoshi's brainwashing. Stop, I have to stop, especially because Mashirao took the effort to warn me about it!
(Flashback)
"There's one more thing, though I don't think it's reliable in your circumstance," Mashirao said.
"Tell me," Izuku said, "it can still be useful!"
"Remember when I said I don't remember anything until the end?" Mashirao stated as Izuku gave him a firm nod, "as I stood there on the track, one of the students bumped into me, snapping me out of my trance and remembered everything after that."
"So receiving a blow can stop the effect?" Izuku asked.
"Though I don't know what type of blow is needed in every situation," Mashirao stated, "and like I said before, I wouldn't rely on that in your circumstance, as it is an outside factor."
"Okay, I got it." Izuku accepted this information as he smiled at Mashirao.
"That's all I can tell you, sorry I can't be more help," Mashirao said as Izuku stood up.
"Thank you, I am really grateful for your help," Izuku responded.
"Hey, I'm going to do something ridiculously selfish, I would've been in this position if not for him," Mashirao stated as he held out a fist to Izuku, "so please, do your best and win for my sake, too."
Izuku stared at him for a few seconds before he wore a confident smile on his face, he extended his hand, balled them into a fist, and met with Mashirao's
"Of course."
(Flashback ends)
The crowd was dead silent as they witnessed Izuku slowly walking towards his loss.
Damn it, snap out of it! Quickly! I promised Mashirao I would do my best. He's counting on me; All Might, Mashirao, Ochaco, Satoshi, Serena, Tenya, and mom. All of them are counting on me! I have to snap out of it! Izuku thought as he inched closer and closer to the edge of the field.
Suddenly, something caught his eyes. Numerous lights, about 8 or 9 of them, appeared in the corridor that he came from. Izuku saw… faces. There were faint, yellow eyes. From… different people?
"You probably don't know this Izuku, but I also have a dream to fulfill, even with a quirk like this," Hitoshi muttered, "now grant me this win."
Izuku's body suddenly began to energize as he felt something coursing through him. A surplus of energy that he hadn't felt before. His arms crackled with energy as they released a shock wave to the ground, powerful enough to shake the whole field, creating a dust cloud.
The impact of the shock wave pulled him back to reality as he was standing but one step away from the edge of the field. Izuku took a deep breath as he realized. I'm still in this match.
"Midoriya has broken free of the trap! Somehow, someway, he stopped!" Present Mic hollered as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
"Looks like he found a way to cause a disturbance strong enough to bring him back to reality, somehow the impact he caused negated the effect of Shinso's quirk," Aizawa added as the crowd looked on curiously, "also please stop screaming so loud."
"Midoriya! You got this!" Tenya yelled as he started punching the air in excitement.
"That's great, let's go Deku!" Ochaco said as she sighed a breath of relief.
"Yes! Good job Izuku!" Serena hollered as she cheered along with the crowd
I knew you could overcome it. Satoshi thought as he watched with an exciting look.
"That was really crazy." Mashirao sighed as he placed a hand on his chest.
Hitoshi, meanwhile, couldn't believe his eyes.
What? Why? How did he figure it out? Hitoshi thought.
"You shouldn't be able to move! What have you done?" He interrogated Izuku as he felt his victory slipping away.
Izuku quickly covered his mouth as a million thoughts entered his mind.
How? What happened? I know my finger made that blast, but I know it wasn't my own action that caused it. I saw faces, people I didn't recognize, who were they? Izuku tried to find the answer as All Might came into his mind.
"One For All, the results of the cultivation of generations of heroes who held this power. Now it's yours."
Wait, is this even possible? Did the former holders of this quirk snap me out of it?
"What did you do?" Hitoshi demanded an answer from his opponent, but Izuku was not about to trip over this rock again, at least, not in this fight.
I can't answer him even if I knew the answer, I have to focus on the match, I should not think about this. Izuku thought as he started running towards Hitoshi.
He won't answer my questions. So this means he figured out my secret, this is not good. Looks like I'm going to have to change up my plan, I have to get him to talk again. Hitoshi thought.
"You can produce that much force with just your fingers?" Hitoshi started, "your quirk, your power, is very desirable, I'm really jealous of you."
I understand that, I felt the same way before. Izuku thought as he continued to run towards Hitoshi, not slowing down a bit.
"I've been looked down upon and second-guessed for my Brainwashing quirk since a long time ago," Hitoshi stated, getting more excited, "someone like you could never understand how it felt to be like me."
I do understand. I am very fortunate, I have so many people who helped me, and supported me. Izuku thought
"You're someone who has a great quirk, who can reach their goal with little obstacles! How could you ever understand my situation!" Hitoshi was yelling now as he was desperate to get a response from Izuku.
I do understand, Hitoshi. I do. Izuku thought as he was right in front of Hitoshi. He grabbed him and pushed him back.
"Say something!" Hitoshi yelled as he threw a punch that connected with Izuku's face.
That's why I can't afford to lose here! Izuku grabbed hold of Hitoshi and tossed him over his shoulder, slamming him onto the ground. The purple-haired boy landed outside the boundary of the field, signaling his defeat.
"Hitoshi Shinso is out of bounds, Izuku Midoriya wins and advances to the second round!" Midnight declared as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
Hitoshi Shinso recovered momentarily as the sound of Present Mic reverberated in his ears.
By golly, he was loud.
"The first person to advance to the second round in the final round is Class 1-A's Midoriya, what a wonderful result for the aspiring hero. His next opponent will be decided between Hanta Sero and Shoto Todoroki."
In the student section, Ochaco, Serena, Satoshi, and Tenya all sighed a breath of relief as their friend had won and advanced to the next round.
"Good on you Izuku," Satoshi cheered as he turned towards Katsuki, "hey look, he defeated Shinso with the move that he used to you toss you around in the first match."
"Shut up you nerd," Katsuki glared at Satoshi as the latter laughed with the rest of his friends.
Izuku and Hitoshi met on the field just a second later as the latter gained the ability to move freely again.
"Hey! Though that was a bit of an anti-climactic match. But still, let's applaud our two students for their wonderful performance." Present Mic said as the audience continued to clap and cheer for this match.
What Hitoshi said to Izuku in their match never left his mind, the latter was intrigued by Hitoshi.
"Hitoshi," Izuku started, "why did you want to become a hero?"
Hitoshi thought a bit about this question and then left without another moment's wait.
"Because you can't help but chase after what you dream about," Hitoshi said as he walked away from the pitch.
That's what I thought before I inherited One For All from All Might. Izuku thought as he looked on at Hitoshi's departure
As Hitoshi left the field, he was greeted by his classmates, who praised him and encouraged him, numerous voices from the stands also commented on his brilliance.
"I will get better, I will enter the Hero Course," Hitoshi declared to Izuku, "I'll become a greater Hero than all of you, I promise you that."
Izuku looked at him seriously and gave him a nod.
"Yeah, I'm waiting for you." As he finished, Izuku found himself in a trance again.
The match is over, what in the world is he doing?
"You know, most people are very cautious when talking to me," Hitoshi said as he turned around to glance at Izuku, "don't get tripped up again."
"At least, don't embarrassingly lose the next match," Hitoshi smirked as he released Izuku from the effects of his quirk.
With that said, Hitoshi left the stadium field. Though he lost his match today, Hitoshi Shinso left the field with a smile on his face.
(With Izuku, All Might, and Recovery Girl in the temporary nursing room)
"There you go. Your injuries are now healed, you didn't manage to break any fingers, so I see you've finally found some control over your quirk." Recovery Girl commented as Izuku looked down onto the ground.
"Yeah, I trained with my friends and All Might, and we managed to find a way for me to control it without hurting myself badly," Izuku stated with a blank expression.
"Hey, you aren't smiling Young Midoriya, I thought you would be happy that you won," All Might said as he looked at the expression on Izuku's face.
"I know you said to smile, All Might," Izuku said, "but in my fight with Hitoshi, I couldn't smile at all."
"Oh, that. I guess it sort of hit close to home for you," All Might said, "his declarations, his ambitions, and his motives, they were very similar to yours."
"I understood his predicament, his resolve," Izuku responded, "I couldn't lose, I couldn't let him get past me, even with those cries. I guess the road to the top is that hard eh?"
"You put more pressure on the poor kid?" Recovery girl asked angrily as she elbowed All Might while patting Izuku on the head.
"Oh right," Izuku suddenly perked up, "I had a vision during my match."
"A vision?" All Might questioned, "what kind of vision?"
"It was very confusing, to be honest. I saw roughly 8-9 people, though I'm not sure who they were. But I do know they were there. They had yellow eyes that were similar to yours." Izuku explained to the duo, "I guess that they were the previous holders of One For All, weren't they?"
"I don't quite know who they really are," All Might said after a moment's consideration, "though I know what this means as I have also had this vision in the past."
"Then what does it mean?" Izuku asked.
"I'm not sure, all I know is that it's a remnant of the past still locked in the quirk," All Might speculated, "this quirk, is, after all, cultivated by many people. The only thing that I know, is that it's not something that you can interfere with, nor can they interfere with you."
"Ah… that's not a satisfying answer," Izuku said as he rubbed his head.
"Forget about that, you're all healed up, go watch the next match, you still have to find out who you're fighting next." All Might said as Izuku gave him a nod and ran out of the room, returning to the stadium.
(With Shoto in the waiting room)
It's almost time. Shoto took a deep breath as he left the waiting room.
You got this, Shoto. Just do what you normally do and you'll be fine. Shoto thought as he walked confidently towards the stadium. He walked past the corridor and his mood was good.
At least it was until he saw him. The man whom he hates with all his guts.
"You're in my way old man," Shoto said as he walked past Endeavor, his father, who was leaning against the wall with his hands crossed.
"You're acting in a way that is unsightly, Shoto," Endeavor started as Shoto walked past him, electing to ignore the words of his father.
"You need to stop this lame childlike rebellion now. Had you used both of your powers, you would have won both the Battle Royal and the Obstacle Race with unparalleled momentum," Endeavor continued, not fazing at the ignorance displayed by his furious son, "you have a purpose you know. Do you understand? You are the Todoroki that will beat All Might, unlike your other siblings, you must carry that legacy out. Don't you dare forget that, okay?."
"If that's all you can say, then you should just stop talking," Shoto spat as his mood was completely ruined by his father's words, "I promised to never use your powers in battle, and I stand by that oath. I will win first place by using only Mom's powers. Not yours."
(With Izuku returning to the stands)
"Deku! Good job and congratulations on advancing." Ochaco commented as the group welcomed him back.
"We saved a seat for you," Tenya said as he pointed to the vacant seat between him and Serena.
"This match is going to be exciting," Denki said.
"I agree," Fumikage concurred.
"Between the speed of Hanta and the power of Shoto, they may give us a good display of speed vs power," Satoshi stated excitedly.
As soon as Izuku sat down, Present Mic announced the next matchup.
"Coming up next, the second matchup of the first round! A showdown between classmates! A versatile fighter that can scale terrain and move around quickly, he's a bit plain but he can do it all, from the Hero Course, it's Hanta Sero! VERSUS! A recommended student with prestige and power in his blood, the son of the No. 2 Hero, also from the Hero Course, it's Shoto Todoroki!
Both students stared down at each other as they were ready for the match to begin.
"READY! GO!" Present Mic hollered, signaling the start of the second match.
Aizawa was beginning to wonder if his ears were going to recover from this.
"Well, I guess it's going to be hard for me to win this match, but I don't feel like giving up at all, so take this Shoto!" Hanta said as he released tape from both his elbows, constricting Shoto immediately as he aimed to fling him out of bounds.
"What's this?! A sudden attack from Sero that aims to push Todoroki out of bounds! It's so fast, can Todoroki even react in time?" Present Mic commented as the crowd cheered loudly.
"He's trying to use his speed to catch Todoroki off guard, a well thought out strategy," Aizawa added, "Now it comes down to Todoroki's response."
Wearing a stoic and angry expression on his face, Shoto neither heard nor reacted to the commentary currently directed towards the match.
"Hanta, I'm sorry about this," focusing all his anger on his ice powers, Shoto created a block of ice akin to an iceberg, it traveled across the stadium, causing a huge explosion that engulfed half of the stadium. The attack covered such a wide range that even the people outside the stadium gasped at the huge pillars of ice that appeared above their heads.
"OH MY GOODNESS! Todoroki just froze the whole half of Sero's field and ended the match in an instant, this power is honestly frightening," Present Mic hollered as the crowd shivered at the cold.
"Please! Stop! Yelling!" Aizawa winced as he had to place his hands over his ears.
"What in the…" Satoshi gasped as the ice was right by his face.
Izuku, Ochaco, Serena, and Tenya gasped as they were also worried for Hanta, being able to feel the cold from their seats.
Guess that clueless idiot really doesn't know how to hold back. Serena sighed as she placed a hand over her face, greatly disturbed by the events that had just transpired.
"Don't you think that's going too far you asshole?" Hanta stuttered as he was completely frozen and in a lot of pain.
"Hanta Sero, are you able to move at all?" Midnight asked.
"What do you think?" Hanta responded immediately, "of course not."
"Well, in that case then, Hanta Sero is immobilized, Shoto Todoroki wins and advances to the next round," Midnight declared.
The audience members looked in sympathy as they started to chant "Don't worry about it!", doing their best to cheer Hanta up from that devastating loss.
Shoto walked towards Hanta and placed his left hand on the ice engulfed around him and started melting the ice.
"Sorry Hanta for going overboard," Shoto apologized to him, "I was angry."
Shoto looks really sad. Izuku thought as he observed Shoto melting the ice around Hanta and the field.
Satoshi, meanwhile, stood up and looked at his friends.
"Denki, it's time for us to go to the waiting room for our match," Satoshi called out to his classmate as the duo left the stands, departing into the stadium waiting rooms.
"Good luck! Have a good battle!" Serena cheered as the duo waved back.
(A few moments later)
"Sorry for the long wait! The ice from the second match has finally melted, so it is time to start the third match! It's another battle between classmates! A wielder of the mysterious aura energy, he captured our eye in the Battle Royal and the Obstacle race, from the Hero Course, it's Satoshi Ketchum! VERSUS! A sparkling threat who won't hesitate to unleash his electrifying punishment on his opponents, also from the Hero Course, it's Denki Kaminari!
"What do you think of this match, Eraser Head?" Present Mic asked his co-commentator.
"Ketchum has the highest score in the entrance exam, and the way he demonstrated his knowledge, both using his quirk and in the field has been extraordinary; meanwhile, it is to my knowledge that Kaminari has improved a great deal over the last two weeks, with a powerful quirk involving electrocuting his opponents, I am excited to see what they bring to the table," Aizawa responded as his gaze remained on the stadium field.
"Let's have a good match, Satoshi!" Denki said as he wore a wide grin on his face.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Satoshi said as he started channeling energy from his body.
"READY! GO!" Present Mic hollered, signaling the start of the third match.
"Alright, let's start this with a bang, 1.3 million Bolt!" Denki hollered as he instantly released a massive amount of electricity, expecting Satoshi to attack him. His predictions were correct as the incoming Satoshi was caught in his electrocuting attack.
"What a start, Kaminari predicted the opening attack move of Ketchum and has gotten him locked down in a paralyzing electric bath." Present Mic commented.
"Satoshi seems to be in trouble already," Izuku said as he looked at his friend with worry.
"He's just a weak small fry. If he's having trouble with Dunce Face over there, then he's quite the loser." Katsuki snickered as the idea of Satoshi being defeated this early delighted him a great deal.
"Oh I wouldn't be so sure of that," Serena said as she pointed towards the field, "look closely at Satoshi."
On the field, Satoshi had firmly planted his fists into the ground, directing all of his energy toward it. The flow of electricity passed into the ground, dealing minimal damage to him.
"That was close," Satoshi huffed as the remaining electricity coursed through him, leaving a residue of static energy.
"Wait, what's this?" Present Mic stated, "it doesn't seem like Ketchum is in any sort of peril."
"He redirected the electrical current into the ground," Aizawa praised, "I've never seen anything like this. Ketchum is one of the promising students in our class, he's up there alongside Bakugo and Todoroki, and they have often performed well in their assignments, he's demonstrated his strategic prowess once more in this match."
"What in the?" Denki asked surprisingly as he thought of a plan to change his plan of attack.
"Alright, time to end this, you had a good run, Denki, but your luck ends here," Satoshi smirked.
Dispelling almost all the electricity around him, Satoshi began his assault. Sensing the change in his opponent's movement, Denki changed from attacking with one powerful blast to multiple fast electric blasts.
Unfortunately, with the speed that Satoshi moved in, Denki's electricity was just not fast enough. Satoshi moved at a speed so fast that Denki could not match his movement. After a few zigzags, Satoshi appeared in front of Denki.
Using the electricity still present in his arms, Satoshi delivered an electric punch that hit Denki's abdomen, knocking him to the ground. Satoshi picked him up and proceeded to throw him out of bounds.
"Denki Kaminari is out of bounds, Satoshi Ketchum wins and advances to the second round!" Midnight declared.
He actually learned something from our training. He was in the air when I hit him, and he found a way to hold the electricity by channeling it back into the ground. Serena smiled as she was impressed by the way Satoshi had won the fight.
Satoshi went over to check up on his classmate as Present Mic spoke up again.
"A fast and unyielding display of offense and defense, Ketchum advances to the second round," Present Mic hollered, "he now waits for his next opponent, the winner between Fumikage Tokoyami and Momo Yaoyorozu in the next round!"
"Wow, you really are strong, I thought that my electric attack would overpower you, but you dealt with it so easily," Denki said as he scratched the back of his head,
"Hey, you gave me a scare, my arms still feel numb. This was a good match." Satoshi praised.
"You even used my own power against me," Denki pointed out, "but somehow it didn't even hurt me that much."
"That's because your electricity acts as an electric charge for you, I used your attack to heal you as I simultaneously attacked you," Satoshi responded as he offered a hand that Denki took gladly, the duo laughed and conversed as they walked back to the stands.
(On the class 1-A stands)
"What do you got to say for that now, huh Katsuki?" Minoru smirked as he questioned Katsuki, feigning a curious look.
"Tch, the bastard got lucky you damn scum, that's all there is to it." Katsuki groaned as he was most dissatisfied with the results, demonstrating to the others as he sulked into his seat.
Izuku, Minoru, Serena, and their friends just shrugged at Katsuki's salty response as they snickered amongst themselves.
"So Satoshi is going to fight the winner of Fumikage and Yaomomo, that sounds like an interesting matchup if I do say so myself." Ochaco commented, "what do you think about it Deku?"
"Denki's quirk is super powerful, but he got instantly countered by Satoshi's brilliant strategic mind. Add that to the fact that Satoshi powered up his speed, this is just what I expected. But what I didn't expect was that Denki didn't actually fry his brain after all those attacks, he must have used the last 2 weeks to build up his physical and mental tolerance. Wow, he's super amazing. This Sports Festival must have been a good motivator for everyone to do well, but that's not surprising at all."
Izuku continued muttering as everyone looked at him in a perplexed way. Katsuki was the only person annoyed by it, but everyone else was starting to get irritated too.
"Your match just ended and even now you are still taking notes of other people's quirks?" Ochaco asked surprisingly as she broke Izuku out of his zone.
"Oh yeah. Ahaha, this is just a hobby of mine," Izuku laughed nervously as he scratched the back of his head, "I have been writing notes on many of the people I know, including everyone in Class 1-A."
"See! This is about you." Izuku said as he flipped to a page that Ochaco was in and showed her his notes.
"Uhhh thanks, Deku?! I'm honored." Ochaco said as Serena and Tenya looked on with big smiles.
"You really are amazing, Deku," Ochaco muttered, grabbing the attention of the green-haired teenager, "you were amazing when I first met you, and even now, you never cease to amaze me."
Izuku heard Ochaco's words and was really happy, but he could not think of a response yet. Deciding against saying anything, he turned his attention towards the battlefield, as Ochaco did the same thing.
"Hey, we're back guys." Satoshi and Denki greeted their classmates as the duo sat back down in their seats. Their arrival brought forth a tsunami of sounds as the crowd was getting rowdy since the next match was about to begin.
"How do you think this match will go guys?" Izuku asked.
"I think this match will be decided by the use of time," Denki answered quickly as the match had started.
"I agree with Denki, he's got a good point," Satoshi stated.
"The fight between Momo and Fumikage is between one who needs time to think of things that need to be created," Tenya said.
"Compared to the other who can get away with using his quirk without spending large amounts of time," Ochaco added.
"You're right, Fumikage doesn't suffer the same problem as Momo does," Serena muttered, hoping for a back and forth match to play out, "this will be a hard match for Momo."
"Let's begin the third match. Another clash between classmates. An aspiring hero in the dark with a power that is hard to uncover and discern, from the Hero Course, it's Fumikage Tokoyami! VERSUS! Another recommended student, her quirk allows her to create anything and everything she can get her mind on, also from the Hero Course, it's Momo Yaoyorozu!"
"These two students are very knowledgeable and they bring a lot to the class through their knowledge and observations," Aizawa added, "I look forward to their match, I think it will be a good one."
Momo and Fumikage stood across each other as they glanced into each other's eyes.
"I'm looking forward to this match, let's do our best!" Fumikage started.
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to clashing with you," Momo responded
"READY! GO!" Present Mic hollered as the fourth match has begun.
Momo started the match by making the first move. She quickly created a shield to defend herself with, and now she needed a weapon. She thought of the best suitable weapon, but before she could create it in time, Fumikage's Dark Shadow launched a brutal blow on her.
Though she successfully defended herself with her shield, Momo was pushed back and struggled to keep a footing.
"Yaoyorozu was quick to create a defensive tool to help her withstand Tokoyami's attacks, but it seems those defenses are inadequate as she was pushed back effortlessly by Tokoyami's Dark Shadow." Present Mic commented.
I can't get any breathing room. Momo grit her teeth as her plans to attack were shut down completely.
"Then, I'll make another one." Yaoyorozu couldn't even pull a weapon into her thoughts as Dark Shadow landed a hit on her again, and again.
Momo finally felt some breathing room as Fumikage stopped his attacks for some reason, she created a weapon and was ready to start her attack.
"Alright, time for my counter-" Momo started but was interrupted by Midnight immediately.
"Momo Yaoyorozu is out of bounds, Fumikage Tokoyami wins and advances to the second round!" Midnight declared, much to the dismay of Momo.
She looked down to see that her left leg was out of bounds. Fumikage recalled Dark Shadow and bowed to the audience, leaving the stadium field without another glance or word.
"What? Has it already ended? No…" Momo looked down with disappointment with the realization that she lost completely.
"An absolute victory! Tokoyami won the match in an instant and without any problems. He will now go up against Ketchum in the second round," Present Mic hollered, "Looks like class 1-A has got some hard hitters this year. So many good matches, even though some of them were a bit one-sided."
"Tokoyami realized that his attacks could take effect before Yaoyorozu's mind could create an image," Aizawa added "An excellent exploitation of her weakness. Tokoyami is also a promising candidate for this tournament"
"Damn, Fumikage was relentless," Izuku said, "his quirk is powerful and he's really fast too."
"You're up against him next Satoshi. Are you worried?" Ochaco asked.
"I will be," Satoshi answered after a moment of thought, "I'm more concerned about Momo now."
"She got defeated by Fumikage even though she sustained 0 injuries," Mashirao added, "it must be so frustrating for her. She didn't even have an opportunity to show her offensive strategies."
"Yeah, it was that easy for him to beat her," Serena said as she turned towards the stadium. And here I was hoping for a back and forth match.
"Either way, let's focus and cheer for Tenya, his match is coming up," Izuku suggested as the group agreed with him, turning their focus towards the battlefield.
"We've now crossed the halfway point for the top 16 matchups! Coming onto the field! A speedy hero with rich family background, striving to live up to the expectations, from the Hero Course, it's Tenya Iida! VERSUS! A student with a peculiar yet intriguing quirk that allows her to create vines that have uses both in and out of combat, also from the Hero Course, Ibara Shiozaki!"
"I look forward to our battle." Ibara greeted as she bowed towards her opposition and to the crowd.
"As do I, good luck to us both," Tenya responded as he reciprocated the bow.
"READY! GO!" Present Mic hollered as the fifth match began promptly.
His power is in his speed, so if I can avoid him and keep him at bay, then the victory will be mine. Ibara thought as she summoned large quantities of vines that charged through the field, moving swiftly towards her opposition.
Tenya boosted the engines in his calves and moved forward, dodging the incoming vines, as he flipped and jumped he managed to dodge all the vines, but he was unable to close the distance to his opponent.
Damn, I guess the bracket stage is gruesome huh? I may have to use my secret move already. Tenya thought as he kicked some of the vines in his path, ripping them apart with his speed and power.
Ibara kept her expression unchanged as she sent more and more vines toward Tenya. In her mind, the match was already won.
"Looks like there's no way through this," Tenya called out, "Time for the world to see my new move! Recipro Burst!"
As he traversed the vine-filled field, his engines glowed a light blue color as the ignition that powered his movements improved. Forcing the torque and RPM of his engines into overdrive, Tenya was granted a higher threshold of speed to utilize.
"Alright, I've got you now!" Tenya hollered as he zoomed through the field, kicking every vine around him out of his path, he glided behind Ibara and grabbed her shoulders.
Unable to react in time, Ibara looked in frustration as she was thrust out of bounds without a proper reaction.
"Ibara Shiozaki is out of bounds, Tenya Iida wins and advances to the second round!" Midnight declared as the crowd continued to cheer and applaud at the fights they are witnessing.
"Another quick match as Tenya Iida showcased a new move to everyone watching the Sport's Festival, what a wonderful display of speed and explosive power." Present Mic hollered as the crowd roared.
"Wow, Tenya was really fast there." Satoshi gasped in amazement, "it was hard for me to even see him."
"Hey, we're heading to our match now!" Serena and Mina waved at their classmates as they departed towards the field. Satoshi stopped Serena and held her hand, wishing her good luck.
"Guess he hid a secret move from us," Izuku added as he continued taking notes in his notebook, "Ibara proved that she was a capable opponent, forcing him to use his secret this early into the tournament."
"Deku, stop writing, our friends are heading down." Ochaco tapped Izuku on the head as he was once again, interrupted from his zone. He looked up and waved at Serena and Mina, giving them both a thumbs up.
Tenya meanwhile had just returned from his match.
"Tenya, you're back, congratulations on the match win!" Satoshi gave him a high five, which Tenya returned.
"Thanks," Tenya said as the group detected a hint of sadness from him.
"What's going on? Why aren't you smiling?" Ochaco asked, "this should be a happy moment."
"Oh, you're right, it is. It's just that I called my parents and my brother," Tenya said, "my parents were thrilled to hear about my victory. But my brother was out in the field working, so I couldn't tell him the good news."
"I'm sure you'll be able to tell him later when he's done," Serena said as she patted him on the shoulder.
The group turned their attention to the field as the next match was being announced.
"We now resume the clash between classmates! A wonderfully talented girl with a powerful quirk. Be careful or else you'll be dissolved by her power, from the Hero Course, it's Mina Ashido! VERSUS! A student with a lot of different powers combined into one powerful quirk. Flexible and adaptive in her usage of her quirk, also from the Hero Course, Serena Yvonne!"
"How do you think this match will go Eraser Head?" Present Mic asked.
"As I've observed, both Ashido and Yvonne are long-ranged attackers, this means that they will most likely have to keep a distance from each other, but how will go about their combat, we'll just have to wait and see," Aizawa answered, "also please stop being so loud."
"Well, you heard it from Eraser Head! Let's get this match on the way! READY! GO!" Present Mic hollered as the sixth match began.
Mina and Serena stepped onto the field and gave each other a thumbs up.
"No hard feelings on the outcome?" Mina asked in a joyous tone.
"Yeah, we're going to grab food after this event regardless!" Serena responded as they both gave each other a nod and got into their combat position.
Serena was the one who threw out the first attack as she formed a torrent of water on her left hand and hurled it toward Mina. The attack traveled quickly but Mina had plans of her own.
With quick thinking and a fast reflex, Mina created a flow of acid under her shoes and used them as a tool to maneuver around the field. Mina dodged Serena's attack gracefully as she launched her own counterattack, as she threw out concentrated acid toward Serena.
Creating a barrier of pure air, Serena successfully blocked the first wave of attacks, but her view was blocked by the acid and she felt a punch on her abdomen as she stumbled back from the combination attack by Mina.
"Wow! Yvonne's attack and defense were great initially, but Ashido's counterattacks are just as relentless, she managed to get a hit in and push Yvonne back!" Present Mic yelled, "This is shaping up to be a great match!"
"Not bad Mina," Serena praised as she recovered from the attack.
"There's more where that came from!" Mina chanted confidently as she unleashed a barrage of acidic missiles toward Serena.
Use fire, just like Satoshi said. Serena thought.
She created a large fireball that neutralized all the acid that was fired her way. The temperature of the flames scorched the liquid and melted through it completely. She then threw it towards Mina, who continued gliding on the field, avoiding the field completely.
"What?! Yvonne melted through the acid! She neutralized the attacks from Ashido easily. But the latter avoided Yvonne's attack again with her superior mobility!" Present Mic hollered as Aizawa put his hands on his ears again.
Hold on ears, we're gonna get through this. He winced.
That's it! A light bulb in Serena's head as she thought of a way to deal with Mina's mobility. Summoning a huge torrent of water from her palms, Serena flooded the whole field, making it wet and slippery.
"If you think some water is going to stop me, then you're quite wrong." Mina taunted as she continued to glide across the battlefield with ease.
"Oh, I'm sure it'll boost your speed up the way you like it," Serena smirked, "but water is great with this."
Serena said as her hands crackled with electric energy. She then blasted the water with electricity. The electricity traveled across the water swiftly and electrocuted Mina, stopping her in her tracks.
"Game over!" Serena said as she produced a huge gust of wind that pushed the paralyzed Mina out of bounds, signaling her defeat.
"Mina Ashido is out of bounds, Serena Yvonne wins and advances to the second round!" Midnight declared.
"That was a great match you two!" Izuku said as he welcomed his classmates back.
"Ahhh, that was frustrating! Serena has me completely figured out," Mina faked whining as the group laughed at her carefree nature.
"Well, I had help," Serena said as she walked toward Satoshi, "thanks for the tip."
"Don't broadcast that to everyone, you trying to make our friends mad that you have a 'personal advisor' with you?" Satoshi scolded Serena as he karate-chopped her lightly on the head, earning the snicker of everyone present.
"Well, I'm going to go prepare for my match against Katsuki," Ochaco said as she left the stands, "please let me know who won this round later."
"Ochaco is it time to go prepare for your match against Kacchan already?!" Izuku asked.
"Normally I would have to be there by the end of the match," Ochaco replied, "but I'm against Katsuki, so I want to take a few more moments to review my plan for the match."
And with that Ochaco took off as Satoshi, Izuku, and Serena waved goodbye.
"We're close to the finish line now! Just two more matches to round up the top 16 matches! This is the seventh match between, the strongest sword and the strongest shield, from the Hero Course, it's Eijiro Kirishima! VERSUS! The strongest shield and the strongest sword, from the Hero Course, it's Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu!"
"Aww come on, our intros are the same too?!" Kirishima and Tetsutetsu yelled in unison as they walked onto the field at the same time.
"READY! GO!" Present Mic hollered as the seventh match began.
Eijiro and Tetsutetsu just ran at each other as they bashed one another repeatedly in all areas of their bodies, because of the natures of their quirks, it was fine for them to endure these hard hits.
(With Ochaco in the waiting room)
Calm down Ochaco, Katsuki is a tough opponent, but he's like every other opponent you'll have in the future, just take a lot of deep breaths and you'll be fine. Ochaco looked at her phone as she had received messages from her parents.
I made a promise to my parents, I told them I would do well. Ochaco thought
For their sake, I have to win.
(Back on the stadium field)
"Take this!" Eijiro and Tetsutetsu yelled as they punched each other in the face with as much force as they could muster, and their punches hit true on their mark. However, the result was that both of them had fainted due to the impact.
"Eijiro Kirishima and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu are both out of commission, this match is a draw. We will determine a winner for the next round after the final match of the first round." Midnight announced.
The crowd cheered as they were excited about the outcome of this hot-blooded and exciting match. Needless to say, they were very well entertained.
"What is this?! A double knockout! Kirishima and Tetsutetsu have both beaten the air out of each other!" Present Mic yelled, "What an unexpected turn of events, looks like we're going to have to wait a bit longer to find out a winner!"
Izuku and Tenya walked down the field as Satoshi and Serena called out to them.
"Hey, where are you guys going?" Serena called out.
"We're going to see Ochaco," Tenya responded.
"Yeah, we want to check up on her!" Izuku added.
"Well let her know I'm cheering for her!" Satoshi said as Serena also gave them a thumbs up.
The duo gave them a reassuring nod as they walked down to the waiting room that Ochaco is in.
(A few moments later)
"Welcome to the final match in the first round. This is another match between two classmates. A student with fierce ambition and a handy quirk, from the Hero Course, it's Ochaco Uraraka! VERSUS! An explosive first year that has been famous since last year, from the Hero Course, it's Katsuki Bakugo!"
"So you're the girl whose quirk makes things float and move around with no weight huh? "Katsuki started, "I'll say this once. If you plan on forfeiting now, then go for it. If you don't then I'm coming for you with all my explosions, and your injuries won't stop at 'ow', I'll make sure of that."
"Are you mocking me?" Ochaco said as she was fired up and more than ready to go down against Katsuki, "I'm not giving the match this easily! You can bet on that."
"Izuku, did you get your idea to Ochaco?" Serena asked.
"I told her about it, but…" Izuku stopped as he looked toward the field
"But what?" Satoshi asked
(Flashback, 5 minutes ago)
"Deku! Tenya! What are you two doing here?" Ochaco asked.
"We're here to cheer for you, giving you our best," Tenya responded.
"Aww, thanks you two," Ochaco smiled as Izuku approached her, holding his notebook as he handed it to her.
"Deku, what are you handing me?" Ochaco asked
"My notebook, I wrote a plan for you to fight him with," Izuku answered.
(Flashback ends)
"Kacchan is spotless in terms of his close combat technique," Izuku stated, "he will always look for ways to use his explosions in the face of his opponents."
"But… if Ochaco can get make contact with him, then she can make him float out of bounds." Serena pointed out, "so her strategy must be…"
"READY! GO!" Present Mic hollered as the last first-round match has begun.
Ochaco ran towards Katsuki quickly, not wasting a moment.
Deku told me about his technique, he always starts with a right-hand hook. Ochaco thought as she inched closer and closer to Katsuki.
Katsuki wasted no time letting her get close, with a swift flick of his wrist he exploded the ground underneath him, throwing the rubble at Ochaco when she was the closest possible to the attack without making contact with him.
The attack picked up a lot of dust as Ochaco was pushed back.
"I'm not letting you get close, round face," Katsuki said as he continued to stay wary of his environment.
He felt something move as he saw Ochaco's jacket move behind him, smirking as he found his target, he lunged at it without a second thought.
"Hey, don't be looking down on me like the rest of them," Katsuki yelled as he threw his hand over the jacket, causing an explosion that picked up more dust. But then he realized that the shirt was a diversion as from the corner of his eye, he saw Ochaco behind him.
He turned around instantly and blew her away with another explosion.
"Damn, that was so close!" Izuku said Ochaco was blown away.
"I guess there's another one that doesn't hold back," Serena added.
"What is that reaction speed?! The cover of the smokescreen won't even help Ochaco!" Hanta gasped.
"He moved, right after he saw him? What the heck?!" Denki gasped as he was surprised by what had happened.
"Uraraka not being able to touch Bakugo is a disadvantage, she has to be able to get close to him," Tenya added as he observed the match with utmost concentration.
Ochaco won't let up and continued running at Katsuki, who simply responded by blasting more explosions her way. To the discomfort of the audience, this sequence was repeated a few more times.
As more explosions went off and Ochaco was more and more hurt, some of the audience members began to question whether or not this match should continue.
"Uraraka keeps on running headstrong into Bakugo's attack, but he won't let up as he continued firing explosions into her. Honestly seems kind of brutal to me." Present Mic stated.
"Hey should you put a stop to this?" an audience member addressed Cementoss who was sitting on the side of the field.
Other voices started being raised around the audience seats as Katsuki continued to throw more explosions toward Ochaco.
"Hey, stop toying with her and end this!"
"Are you playing around? Sent her out of bounds you mongrel."
Sigh. "What a bunch of clueless idiots." Neito Monoma, one of the class 1-B students, commented as he caught on to something interesting in the match.
"The audience members have made their voices heard, though I can't help but agree with them, this match is kind of sickening," Present Mic announced as he was elbowed in the face by Aizawa, who took the microphone and began to talk.
"I do hope that whoever said Bakugo was playing around isn't a Pro Hero, because if you are, you should get the hell out of here and go home. Maybe look into a career change too while you're at it." Aizawa started, earning the gasps of the audience members.
"The reason that Bakugo is attacking that relentlessly is that he knows that if he relaxes for even a moment, then Uraraka will find a way to beat him. It's the respect that he has for her that has caused him to be so on guard. He can't afford to give her any advantages whatsoever." Aizawa added.
Katsuki meanwhile looked toward Ochaco as she was still going.
"So you're still going huh Round face?" Katsuki taunted.
"You bet, and I got some gratitude to show you." Ochaco responded as she brought her hands together, "you being on guard has been … quite the thing I was counting on this match."
"Though you can't fault Katsuki for not noticing due to his concentration in the match," Monoma said as he glanced upwards, "it would be really sad if the Pro, and that's if they were Pros, missed this detail as they were 'booing' Katsuki during the fight."
"What are you talking about?" some of the class 1-B students asked them.
"Ochaco kept her body low and towards the ground, shifting Katsuki's line of sight to stay there. Her real plan was to keep her weapons hidden," Monoma continued explaining to his classmates, "through the combination of attacks that diverted his attention and the explosions, she kept him at bay so wouldn't notice what was above him."
"RELEASE!" Ochaco yelled as all eyes turned towards the space above the stadium.
Hundreds of rock debris, all of different shapes and sizes, descended quickly from the position that they were once floating in.
"What in the world?! Ochaco had a meteor shower attack going for her?!" Present Mic gasped as he placed his hands on his head.
"Before you start criticizing the acts of the students, maybe observe, without bias, what they are doing. I hope we all learned something today," Aizawa face-palmed at the ignorance of his colleague.
Ochaco wasted no time as she started running as the debris crashed down towards Katsuki.
With this much debris, even if he can react to those, he won' be able to react to everything that I can throw at him. Using this advantage, this is where I will make my final stand! Ochaco thought as moved closer and closer to Katsuki.
I'm going to win this!
Katsuki looked up and sighed as he lifted both of his arms and prepared a huge explosive attack.
"I told you Round Face, don't underestimate me!"
What followed his words was a blast of energy that sent shock waves throughout the stadium. Reaching the audience seats in no time, the impact of the explosion blew away all the rocks as they were destroyed.
Ochaco fell onto the ground as the explosion subsided.
As she was struggling to stand up, Katsuki's voice was clear in her head.
"I knew you were up to something," Katsuki said, "you're friends with the nerd, so I was right to guess that you had a tricky move up your sleeve."
Ochaco was having a hard time believing it, her ultimate move, her biggest plan. Dissolved to nothing in a second.
I poured all my energy into this, and he wasn't bothered at all. Ochaco thought as she was desperate to stand up.
"Even then, I won't lose!" Ochaco said as she began stumbling towards Katsuki. He raised his hand to prepare for her attack, he ran towards her, in preparation for an attack.
But the attack never came.
Two steps into that long, impossible trip, Ochaco fell again. Katsuki gasped as he stopped in his steps, placing his hands down.
I have to try something, I have to! For my future, and my family. Though she was down, Ochaco didn't give up, she was down, but she was determined to win the battle, even if she had to crawl.
Sensing her movement, Katsuki became wary as he lifted his arms, but he did not create an explosion, not until he was sure about her moves.
Ochaco tried her hardest to move forward, her memory coming back to the forefront of her mind. Her promise to her family, encouragement from Tenya and Izuku. And her goals.
I will become… a hero. That was the last thought Ochaco had as she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Midnight ran over to Katsuki and placed a hand over Ochaco's head, sighing as the result of the match was apparent, she stood up and declared the results.
"Ochaco Uraraka is out of commission, Katsuki Bakugo wins and advances to the second round."
The crowd cheered loudly as the first round has all but ended.
"Well, the first round is now over! Let's take a quick break and then we will begin the second round matches!" Present Mic announced as the cheers from the audience remained loud and clear.
(With Izuku walking towards the waiting room)
Izuku was frowning, he was sad that Ochaco lost, especially when she was so close to pulling something off.
He bumped into Katsuki, who glared at him as he walked by.
"Damn it, nerd, what are you doing in my way? You wanna pick a fight or something?" Katsuki yelled as he startled Izuku.
"Uhhh no? I'm just walking to the waiting room since I'm up next. Gosh, you're helpless," Izuku retorted as he walked past Katsuki, "congratulations on winning the first round, by the way."
"Yeah, no thanks to you, do you always have to mess with my vibe, why are you always so nosy? It's honestly annoying and it's pissing me off," Katsuki cried as he questioned Izuku, "did you tell Round-face that stupid, desperate plan?"
"No, it wasn't my plan," Izuku interjected, "it was all her idea, I had no part in her strategy."
Katsuki looked at him without a care in the world as he turned around to face him."
"If you felt frustrated and annoyed in any way," Izuku added, "it's because you played right into her rhythm, regardless of the results of the match."
(With Katsuki walking towards the stands)
"Hey welcome back, Mr. Asshole, how do you feel about being the one who everyone booed during the match?" Satoshi asked.
"Yeah, must have been hard to be the bad guy huh?" Serena laughed, "actually wait, you're like that all the time."
"I'd shut up if I were you blonde face unless you have a death wish." Katsuki spat coldly as Satoshi and Serena simply ignore him and continued to snicker.
"But still, going at a girl like that, have you no shame?" Denki scoffed as Katsuki shot him a death glare.
"Make no mistake, she's a tough one, alright?! Nothing about her suggested frailty or weakness," Katsuki responded as his class looked on with surprise.
"Wait... did he just praise someone?" Minoru said.
"Yeah, I believe he did."
(With Izuku in the waiting room)
"Damn it! I'm so mad, I could've won but it wasn't close at all!" Ochaco hollered as Izuku was startled by her as he walked into the waiting room.
"Ochaco?! Are your wound healed already?" Izuku gasped.
"Yep, Recovery girl made it pretty quick, so I'm all good now." Ochaco replied, "man, I was so close, but I just couldn't get it done."
Ochaco's phone started ringing but she decided not to pick it up as they were able to hear Present Mic's voice come from the speakerphones in the room.
"As a result of the draw in the seventh match, Eijiro Kirishima and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu have battled it out through an arm-wrestling match. Kirishima has won in a nail-biting match. Thus, we have our top 8 members of the 1 on 1 tournament. With that knowledge, we will begin the next round momentarily. So, Izuku Midoriya and Shoto Todoroki, please make your way to the stadium field."
"Well, that's my queue," Izuku said as he waved at Ochaco as he was heading for the door, "I guess they never waste any time, do they?"
"I'm sorry, Deku, I held up all of your preparation time." Ochaco apologized to Izuku as she felt bad for holding him up.
"Hey, don't sweat it, Ochaco, I'm fine. I wanted to check up on you anyways," Izuku responded, "even though I had no idea you were here."
"Well, good luck out there!" Ochaco said as she gave Izuku a thumb's up, "I'll be cheering for you!"
Izuku gave her a nod as he left the room.
As soon as he left the room, Ochaco dialed her father's number.
"Hey, sorry for missing your call, dad," Ochaco said the call connected.
(With Izuku walking towards the stadium)
There's no way that Ochaco wasn't frustrated about the loss. She was this close. She fought her heart out and even then, I couldn't do anything for her; even though she was the sad one; even though she is the one who needed to be comforted. Yet in the end, I'm the one who ended up being encouraged by her. Gosh, I can't do anything right. Izuku thought as he walked closer to the stadium field.
As he turned a corner, he was startled as he bumped into the No.2 Hero, Endeavor.
"Uhh, uh, Mr. Endeavor?" Izuku was alarmed as he almost bumped into the decorated Hero.
"Oh, there you are. I've been meaning to meet with you," Endeavor informed the green-haired teen as he looked at him with an expression that means business, "you have a spectacular quirk. I have noticed that you can generate a lot of force with just your hands. Your quirk is akin to All Might's, at least when we address the issue of similarity. It goes without saying that your power is insufficient, but there are similarities."
"What are you trying to say here?" Izuku gulped as he was nervous about Endeavor's assumptions. As he was given no response, Izuku began walking away, "either way, I have to go now, my match will start soon."
It doesn't seem like he knows about my secret yet. He may just be putting ideas together. Either way, I can't let him get an idea about what is going on. Izuku thought as he continued walking away.
"I just came here to tell you this," Endeavor started as he addressed Izuku, "it's the duty of my son, Shoto, to surpass All Might as the No.1 Hero. His match with you will be a good demonstration for him."
Izuku had stopped as he tried to calmly process what was being said to him now.
"Try not to make this match an unsightly one, if you would please," Endeavor informed as he began walking away, "that is all I have to say to you."
The conversation with Shoto played at the back of his head. Izuku began to boil as he realized the severity of the situation. The challenge laid down for him and Satoshi by Shoto was a result of the treatment Shoto was subject to wrongfully at the hands of the very man who was before him. Endeavor, Shoto's father, was as Shoto had described, Izuku looked into his eyes as he saw an unfazed look. It was a look of desperate, and perverted, determination. Endeavor had placed every egg in the Shoto basket, he was hell-bent on surpassing All Might in a manner that Izuku could hardly imagine.
Just how far are people willing to go for such an unnecessary notion.
"You know Mr. Endeavor, I am not All Might." Izuku started as he took a deep breath.
"That goes with saying, young man, it's quite obvious really." Endeavor responded quickly as he was bewildered by the sudden response from the boy in front of him.
"If it goes with saying and that obvious." Izuku responded without hesitation as he turned around to look at Endeavor, "then I don't know why you would ever make that assumption, or connection, between me and All Might."
"I didn't connect you to All Might, I merely compared your quirks, nothing more to it," Endeavor replied quickly.
"Be that as it may, you should do well to remember this. I am not All Might, and in the same line, Shoto is also not you," Izuku concluded, "he will never be you."
With that, Izuku turned away from Endeavor and continued walking down the hallway.
The conversation he had during lunch played through his head like a movie.
I will not be swayed by a man who treats his son like a weapon. Izuku thought as he approached the stadium field.
Shoto deserves better.
Alright! This seems like a good place to end the story.
As always, more changes in the story as I incorporate Satoshi and Serena. As a result, the first round of the tournament is obviously different. The first round of the 1-on-1 tournament has ended, as Shoto and Izuku prepare to take the stage as the first match of the second round.
I hope you Pokemon fans enjoyed the references to the Pokemon series in this chapter. Satoshi's match vs Denki had two of them.
For now, that is all! Hope you all enjoy the story!
Chapter 8: U.A. Sports Festival Final Event. His Realization!
To be continued…