"THE EVENT WILL BE AFTER AN HOUR'S LUNCH BREAK! SEE YOU THEN!"

I went over to find him, before he could rejoin his friends and head into the cafeteria for lunch. Tapped his shoulder, and drew him away to a corridor.

"You wanted to tell me something," he asked. "What is it?"

I watched him, appraising. If my hunch was correct, if what I'd been guessing about him was true, then perhaps he might understand…or maybe he would simply understand less.

He looked around. "If we dawdle, the mess hall will probably get really crowded." Then after a moment, he started sweating, looking nervous.

I took a breath. "You blindsided me. So much so that I broke my own pledge. Iida, Kaminari, Yaoyorozu, Tokoyami, Uraraka. None of them felt it. Only I did in that moment. After all, I was the only one there who had seen All Might's power up close."

He looked scared now. "So, what is it you wan to say?"

"I'm saying that what I felt from you was the same. It felt similar. Midoriya, are you really All Might's secret love child?"

It made sense to me…similar powers. They looked nothing alike, acted nothing alike, but a genetic relation would explain the power similarity. Midoriya looked shocked, momentarily stunned, but not the shock of a man whose secret had been discovered.

"Y-you've got it wrong!" he stuttered out, practically shaking back and forth. "Well, of course, that's exactly what a secret son would say, so I get it if you don't believe me, but I swear that's not it! Actually, can I ask - why are you - I mean, why me - " he began, but I caught him off.

"The way you said that's not it. In other words, you do have some connection to All Might that you can't talk about. Whatever that might be…" I don't know why I said what I said then. But I felt like I had to say something. "My father is the Hero Endeavor. You must have heard of him. He's been the #2 hero forever now. If you're connected to the #1 hero, then that means I have even more reason to beat you. My old man will do anything to advance his position. He made a name for himself during his hero career firing on all cylinders. But it was never enough to outpace All Might. An unremovable mite, in his eyes. And because he knew he could never hack it by his own power, he devised a plan."

"What are you talking about, Todoroki?" said Midoriya. "What is it you're telling me, exactly?"

"You know about 'quirk marriages', right?" I asked him. "After the phenomenon started, it came into the picture during the second, third generation. Choosing mates solely to enhance one's own quirk, to be inherited down the line, and forcing marriages for that purpose. They were simply treated as old fashioned arranged marriages. As a man of means and merit, my old man easily ingratiated himself to my mother's family, and got his hands on her quirk. All he wanted was to raise a hero to surpass All Might." I felt my rage rising, as it did every time I thought about it. Instinctively, I placed my hand on my left eye. "Damn him. I'll never be a tool for that scumbag. In my memories, my mom is always crying. I remember she called my left side unbearable, before she poured boiling water on my face. The reason I challenged you is for the personal triumph. I won't use my damn old man's quirk. I'll become #1 without needing to. It'll be my total disavowal of him."

Midoriya looked down at the ground. He seemed to have nothing to say in reply. I turned away to leave. "If you can't tell me anything, that's fine. Keep your secret. I'll climb over you using only my right side. Sorry I took up your time."

As I walked away, I heard him start following me. "I…I've always had help, with everything I've done."

I turned back to face him. He didn't look angry or impassioned, almost…importunate. He went on "That was true earlier too. I…the reason I'm standing here is because someone always saved me. All Might…I want to be like him, and I need to become strong enough to accomplish that and become #1. It may seem like a trifling motive, compared to yours, but all the same, I can't lose. Not only for myself, but to pay back the people who've helped me along the way. So I'll take that declaration of war of yours and echo it. I'm going to beat you too!" he said, clenching his fist and looking me firmly in the eyes.

I didn't really have anything else to say. I turned and left him there, thinking about what he'd said. That he'd ben blessed by others and fought to be like All Might. I agreed with him, really…it did seem like a trifling motive compared to what I had to do. And yet, for such a small thing, he had still beaten me before, and kept overwhelming me. Midoriya. I'd told him everything about myself, and yet I still felt as though I understood nothing whatsoever about him.

"BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE FINAL EVENT, THERE'S GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE WHO DROPPED OUT OF THE PRELIMINARIES! IN THE EDN THIS IS STILL A SPORTS FESTIVAL, SO TO HAVE EVERYONE CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, WEV'E GOT SOME RECREATIONAL EVENTS IN STORE! JUST LOOK HOW FIRED UP THOSE CHEERLEADERS WE CALLED FROM AMERICA ARE…HUH? WHAT'S THIS? WHAT ARE THEY EVEN? WHAT HAPPENED, CLASS A?"

The girls were all dressed in cheer leading costumes as well.

"Mineta, Kaminari!" screamed Yaoyorozu. "You tricked us, didn't you?!" She fell down and Uraraka patted her back.

"They really are idiots!" cried Jirou.

"Well, we might as well do it until the true battle begins," said Hagakure. "It's fine, isn't it?" she continued as she practiced a cheer.

"ALL RIGHT EVERYONE, COMPETE YOUR HEARTS OUT. RECREATION!" said Mic. "AND AFTER THAT THE FINAL EVENT! FROM THE 4 TEAMS, 16 INDIVIDUALS HAVE MADE IT THROUGH! IT'S A TOURNAMENT! WE'RE PITTING THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER IN ONE ON ONE COMBAT!"

"So it's a tournament, huh?" said Kirishima. "WE'll be standing on the same stage we see on TV every year!"

"Oh, was it a tournament last year, too?" said Ashido. "I forget."

"The system changes a bit each year," said Sero. "But typically there'll be similar one on one competitions. Last year it ws more of a sports chanbara style event."

"All right," said Midnight. "Now I'll determine who fights whom through this lottery. Once the matchups are decided, we'll do a fun bit of recreation, and then we'll commence. Whether or not the 16 who will be competing want to join in on the recreation activities is up to you. Since I'm sure many of you will be wanting to take a breather or preserve your strength. So starting from the team that placed 1st, let's determine the order - "

"Um, excuse me, sorry!" said Ojiro, raising his hand. "I'm sitting this one out."

"Ojiro, why?" cried everyone. "This is the place to show yourself off to the pros."

"Truth is, I don't remember anything that happened during the human cavalry battle up until the very last seconds," he admitted. "Probably due to that guy's quirk."

The guy who'd been leading his team.

"I know it's my big chance, and I know it's stupid to throw it away," he continued. "But this is the place everyone earned by clashing at their full power. I wouldn't feel right standing among you without even understanding how I got here. I just can't do it."

"Don't worry about it!" said Hagakure. "As long as you get results at this stage, it's fine!"

"Yeah, it's not as though I put in the most stellar performance either," said Ashido.

"You don't understand!" said Ojiro. "This is my pride we're talking about here. I can't stand the thought of it! Also, why are you girls dressed like cheerleaders?"

"I don't remember what happened either," said a boy from Class B. "I want to abstain too. No matter how strong he may actually be, for a person who didn't so anything to rise up would defeat the point of the festival!"

"Man, you guys are super manly!" said Kirishima.

"How callow" said Midnight. "I'll have you know that greenhorns like you…get all my love! I hereby recognize Shoda and Ojiro pulling out!"

I wasn't quite sure what to make of this…In any case, 2 kids from Class B transferred in, and with 16, the matches were released.

The first round would be between Midoriya and a name I didn't recognize. Mine was second, a match with Sero, the boy from my class with taping arms. Which meant that if Midoriya won his first bout…we'll face off faster than I anticipated. Give me everything you've got, Midoriya. I'll defeat you myself.