Chapter 4:

"Woo! Yeah! Our scam might just work, Odin!" Zeus celebrated from his seat while Odin stayed silent the whole time. He was still pleased. He looked at the hooded figure in the corner, making sure the god was still there. He was saving on sending him last, and he still plans to do so. "We only need six more wins and we don't have to pay that shit!"

The Void, however, was mildly annoyed at the loss. They knew All Might may lose, but they still took the chance. Still, the gods now doubt their own power once they knew what their representatives were capable of. As a reward, they granted Uncle Sam the power to return to America and do as they please. The old man will no longer be a problem for them.

They looked at the gods celebrating their win, still being arrogant as usual. Nobody noticed that Uncle Sam was gone and not returning soon. The Void quite enjoys Zeus' suggestion, but they already had a feeling this tournament was more than just a ploy to free them from their $25 debt. They were busy trying to figure out which fighter they should use next.

"Who shall I choose among them? Perhaps I should've gotten the ones from One Piece. Then again, I prefer the handicap."

The fighters were waiting for the Void to make their decision, ready to fight whenever they're next. Only one of them was arrogant enough to think he'll win.

"You can take your time, Mr. Void."

"No need to be worried, Koichi Haimawari. I'm saving you for someone else." While Koichi was not a direct counter, he was the best chance The Void got against that god.

"Hurry up already! You're trying my patience."

"Shut up, Bakusue."

The Void created a body, one they would call their avatar, and dropped a bit of their essence into it. That's how their representatives could withstand the Void's raw energy. Some fighters were grieving, some were smiling, and some were indifferent.

"Man, Toshinori really lost, didn't he? The gods are definitely a problem in the afterlife." Inko, not the one some would know as Izuku's mother, but a world famous boxer in her universe, spoke to them casually. The Void knew Inko herself was sad to see him go, but she seems determined.

"You'll be fighting next." The Void's avatar pointed at her. Now she looked excited.

"Finally. I was waiting when you were gonna pick me! Fine, I'll pick up the slack Toshinori left for us." Inko put on her jacket and boxing gloves, and left the room.

Right when she's about to enter, her son called out to her. "Good luck, mom! Please don't die." Izuku Midoriya himself, from the Boxing Inko's universe, followed his mother's footsteps. Still, she was still regarded as the best even after her death.

The mother walked up to her son and patted his head. "Don't worry. Just cheer for me 'til the bitter end."

"And with the gods' win, humanity still steps closer to its end!" Hermes lied again. The gods simply didn't want to pay that $25 debt to the Primordial Void. "However, let's see how they fare with the next fighter!"

The door on the gods' side opened, and everyone saw a rather old figure. The god, or more correctly, the goddess, looked like she was a middle-aged woman. She wore a flower crown on her head. The goddess had a bright auburn head, complemented by a simply green dress. Her look of innocence was shattered when everyone saw what she wore in her hands. The gauntlets she wore were that of metal. It had eyes over the fist and claws sharper than a tiger's. It was a weapon she hadn't used in a long time.

As she walked, plants grew and withered with every step she took. The surrounding temperature fluctuates as the seasons cycle quickly in her presence.

Persephone looked on to her mother, very hesitant to cheer to the woman who kept her caged for a long time before she met Hades. She rested her head on her husband's arms while she watched. She will, however, not hesitate to cheer for her son when it's finally his time to fight.

"It's okay if you don't choose to cheer for your mother. Still, she'd appreciate it a bit if you do." Hades reassured Persephone.

"Maybe, but I'm still on the fence, honey." She said, while looking at the fake calmness of her mother.

"On the gods' side, some of you may know her as the cause of great famines all over the world! Some may recognize her as the cause of the Ice Age! Hell, she even caused the extinction of the dinosaurs in her rage! Zeus may be the strongest Greek god, but even he fears the goddess who has control over life! She is the Goddess of Seasons and Agriculture! She is DEMETER!" Hermes introduced the gods' next fighter. The human audience trembled at the gentle sight of the woman that caused so many hardships to humanity. The gods cheered for Demeter, but her glare silenced them to a hush.

Demeter already knew why she was here. Zeus, the schemer he was, knew she opposed his decision not to pay the debt of the gods. Only two other gods fighting in the tournament agreed with him. This doubles as a ploy to take out threats to his rule. "Damn that old prick."

On the human's side, the door opened to reveal their next fighter. The weebs were once again shocked when they saw who the person fighting for humanity was. They, however, were weirded out because she looked different from how they originally knew her. She wore boxing shorts and a blue sports bra under her long jacket. Her boxing gloves were green and red. Her hair was tied back in a long ponytail. She walked out to the arena and inspected Demeter to see if she could get a framework of the goddess' fighting style.

"That can't be… she can't be? Why does she look different?" Another weeb asked.

"Mom?!" Another version of Izuku Midoriya spoke. "Why is she fighting?"

"Because she's technically my mom." Izuku from the boxing universe sat beside the other Izuku. "She's a world famous boxer in my universe. What is she in yours?"

"An eldritch monster." Other Izuku looked down, feeling down that he missed out on this. Boxing Izuku patted his other self's back in consolation. "Regardless, I hope mom wins."

"Yeah. Me too."

"You might start seeing a pattern now, humans. Fighting for humanity, she is not of your universe! She differs incredibly from the manga you've read. In her universe, she was named the greatest of all time. Even when she was past her prime, she defeated the likes of Rumi Usagiyama, another boxing world champion. She comes from a world where everything is settled through boxing! She is the greatest fighter in the world! Her title was Japan's Iron Fist! Her name is INKO MIDORIYA!" Hermes yelled through the microphone, much to everybody's annoyance. Inko took off her jacket and threw it at the crow. She raised her right arm, which was followed by the cheers of humanity.

"So, you're who I'm fighting, right?" Inko tried talking to the goddess she was about to fight. This time, Angel Remiel came down to sound the horn, signaling the start of the second round. "I've read a bit about you when we were studying mythology back in college. You know what I thought of you?"

Demeter couldn't care less, but listened. Inko smiled, still not having her guard up. "I told myself, when I finally made it and when I finally become a mother, I wish to not be as incompetent as you are."

Demeter disappeared from her position and appeared behind Inko. She threw her fist, but Inko simply turned around, ducked, and jabbed her stomach. Inko danced around her before hitting Demeter with a haymaker. The goddess' head was thrown back from the force of the punch, but her head was pulled back by a mysterious force, causing her to take another punch to the face from Inko.

"Huh? We don't have powers in my universe. Is this the Void's Blessing to mom?" Boxing Izuku asked, particularly to no one.

"Yeah. She gained the original Inko's quirk." The Primordial Void whispered in his head.

"It looks like Demeter is off to a terrible start! Without a doubt, Inko Midoriya presents a challenge to her." Hermes said from the podium. Persephone ignored what he said and kept watching her mother get pummeled.

Inko didn't let up with her combos. She kept punching Demeter from every angle while dodging around the goddess' attacks. She jumped back when Demeter released a chilling aura.

"Chilling Winter." Demeter said in a low voice as she jumped after Inko to grab the boxer. Inko raised her arm above Demeter's head and used her newfound power to force Demeter's fist upward. It worked, leaving the goddess wild open. Inko punched Demeter again, this time hitting the goddess' liver. Demeter was down on her knees.

"Not so tough, are ya?" Inko was still in her stance, ready for Demeter to get up.

"You think this is over? You will pay for insulting me." Demeter got up again, this time making a tree grow underneath Inko. The boxer was surprised as Demeter finally punched her, sending her crashing to another tree that Demeter created. "This is just the beginning."

{- To Be Continued