Corridors
Goku finished woofing down his lunch, so he decided to wait by the 1-A entrance arena.
Upon arriving, he found Izuku deep in thought.
"Hey Izuku." Goku greeted startling him out of his thoughts. "I didn't see you at the cafeteria, so I was wondering where you were."
"O-Oh." Izuku replied. "W-Well I just got caught up on something, and I couldn't make it."
Goku noticed that his friend wasn't too upbeat. "You look a bit down."
"It's just…" Izuku paused to think before speaking again. "Goku, how would you help someone who was hurting?"
"Huh, that's quite the question." Goku admitted. "I suppose I'd stay close to the person who's hurt and try to figure out what's causing it. Once I knew that, I'd see what I can do. Though, my father always said there's many kinds of hurt, and each would require different solution."
"What do you mean?" Midoriya asked.
"I guess it would depend on how well you know the person, and what you're willing to do to help them." Goku answered. "If you know enough about them, and figure out what kind of problem they're having, then it'll be easier to know what to do for them."
Midoriya took a second to think about the advice his friend gave him. He seemed dissatisfied with the answer he had received, but he couldn't talk about it anymore because all the boys in class 1-A were walking towards them.
Goku patted him on the shoulder and agreed to talk more about this later. While all the boys were heading out to the amphitheater, Goku got a funny feeling in his gut and went back down the hall. He turned the corner to see the girls of their class in cheerleader outfits.
For some strange reason he couldn't pin down, Goku really liked that look on Momo compared to the rest of them. Normally, he didn't even care about such things. Even though he did like that look on his deputy, he was still confused why all the girls were dressed this way.
"Uh, what are you doing?" Goku asked.
Momo froze and blushed a scarlet red at Goku of all people seeing here this way, but she eventually cleared her throat. "I was informed about a Cheer Battle that would take place before the finals."
"Yeah, Yaoyorozu made us these costumes, so we could participate." Toru excitedly added.
"Cheer Battle?" Goku raised an eyebrow. "Who said this?"
"Apparently it was Mr. Aizawa." Kyoka replied visibly embarrassed to be seen in this.
"Mr. Aizawa said he was off to take a nap, so when would he have the time to tell you girls this?" Goku responded making Momo and Jiro give deadpanned expressions while the other four girls all remembered Aizawa saying that.
"Also, Aizawa isn't the type who likes entertainment value in a Hero." That made Kyoka and Yaoyorozu look disappointed in themselves for not figuring this out on their own. "Who told you that Aizawa said this?"
The two girls had annoyed expressions on their faces.
"Denki and Yamcha are going to get it!" Momo shouted.
"Ah." Goku nodded. "They were trying to pull a fast one."
"Ugh!" Jiro threw the pom poms she was holding to the ground. "I'm going to make those two go deaf when I see them again!"
"I'd hold off on your revenge because there's only about seven minutes before we're due back in the arena." Goku voiced. "If you run, you could get your uniforms one and make it in time."
"Yeah, we'll do that." The girls declared in unison as they turned heel and ran back to change.
Momo was the last person to leave, so Goku called out to her. "Wait Momo."
The deputy turned to him. "What is it Goku?"
"Well, you're one of the smartest people I know, aside from my father and sister, so I was wondering if you could answer why I think you look good in that outfit." Goku questioned sincerely.
"Y-You're being serious with me." Momo's face heated up and turned crimson. "Gahh, I… I mean… Goku, I…" She ended up turning and running. "I GOT TO HURRY AND CHANGE!"
"Huh, that was weird." Goku shrugged it off before deciding to head to the arena. "Melissa should know, so I can ask the next time we meet up."
Arena
"GET THOSE FOAM FINGERS IN THE AIR!" Present Mic announced signaling that lunch break was now over. "It's almost time for the last round, but before that, good news for everyone who didn't make the finals! Since this is a sports festival, we've prepared some fun side games everyone can participate in! We even brought cheerleaders from America to get your blood pumping!"
The girls just managed to make it back in time, and the first people to notice were Goku, Yamcha, and Denki. The latter two looked annoyed and ended up jogging over to the girls to ask why they weren't in their outfits. Jiro responded by using her jack to yell at them for that stunt.
"Have fun competing in those little side games everyone!" Present Mic announced. "After they're over, the 16 students from the top four teams will be duking it out, one on one, in a tournament style fighting competition! I promise you will not want to miss these epic match ups!"
"Aww Yeah." Eijiro commented. "Finally getting the chance to show what we're made of. I watched these finals every year, and now I'm actually in them."
"Wait, is it always a tournament?" Mina asked.
"The finals are always a one-on-one competition, but they switch it up every time." Hanta informed. "Last year, it was a foam sword fighting match."
Midnight was on the platform and had a box in her hand. "Come closer and draw lots to see who you're up against. Then, enjoy the pleasure of recreational games before we start. The sixteen finalists have the option of participating in those activities or sitting out to prepare for battle. I'm sure you all want to conserve your stamina."
"Um… excuse me." Mashairao raised his hand. "Sorry, but I'm withdrawing."
That shocked everyone, and Izuku was the first to speak. "Ojiro, no way."
"But this is a rare chance for you to get scouted." Tenya stated.
"It just wouldn't be right." Mashairao explained. "I barely remember anything from the cavalry battle until the very end of it. I think it was that guy's Quirk. I know this is a great opportunity. I wish I could take advantage of it, but my conscience won't let me."
"Just think about this." Midoriya urged him.
"I have, okay?" Ojiro retorted. "Everyone gave their all in round two, but I was just someone's puppet. No way. I don't even want to advance if I don't know how I got here. It wouldn't be fair."
"You're making way too much of this." Hagakure stated.
Mina was about to say something but was cut off by Goku. "Let him go." His words drew 1-A's attention. "His heart and mind are made up, so ;et's respect his wish."
"Wait, seriously?" Mina questioned.
"Thank you, Goku." Mashairao gave a small smile. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."
"It's fine." Goku patted his shoulder. "You're holding onto your pride which is something you treasure deeply. I can understand holding onto something you treasure."
"Nirengeki Shoda from class 1-B." Shoda declared. "I think I should withdraw for the exact same reason. Regardless of how strong I am, this isn't how I wanted to get here. It would go against the values of the festival without earning my spot."
While Kirishima was praising the manliness of these two, Midnight was thinking about it. "This sort of talk is incredibly naive, my boys. That turns me on! Shoda and Ojiro, you're withdrawn!"
Every student mumbled, "Did she say it turns her on?"
Yuga placed a hand on Mashairao's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll win it for you."
"Now, let's see." Midnight pondered for a moment. "We'll have to move two students from the 5th place cavalry team, so we have enough contestants."
The leader of the team, Kendo, spoke up. "We were frozen most of the time. Honestly, we barely did anything in the cavalry battle. Isn't that right, girls?" Her team shamefully agreed. "You should choose from the team that kept fighting the whole time, Team Tetsutetsu."
"Kendo." Tetsutetsu was shocked as well as his team.
"I'm not doing this as a favor." She explained. "It's just fair."
Tetsutetsu was starting to overflow with happiness. "Seriously you guys. THANK YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!"
The two team members that were chosen were Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, and Ibara Shiozaki. Then, lots were drawn.
"Take a look at the bracket, my dears." Midnight instructed. "These are your opponents."
The matches were as follows:
Izuku Midoriya vs Hitoshi Shinzo
Shoto Todoroki vs Ibara Shiozaki
Tenya Iida vs Mezo Shoji
Momo Yaoyorozu vs Goku Shield
Mina Ashido vs Yuga Aoyama
Hanta Sero vs Fumikage Tokoyami
Eijiro Kirishima vs Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
Katsuki Bakugo vs Ochaco Uraraka
While the crowd cheered, certain students were seeing who was fighting who.
"SERIOUSLY!?" Kirishima/Tetsutetsu yelled in unison. "HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING!?"
"I'll give it my all." Tokoyami stated.
"I'd expect nothing less." Hanta taunted back.
"Alright." Shield grinned at his deputy. "Looks like we get to battle it out in the first round."
"I hope you give me your best." Yaoyorozu remarked with a smile.
"Mon a mi, I'm afraid it's the end of the road for you." Aoyama stated.
"I'll melt your butt off." Ashido retorted.
"Uraraka?" Katsuki asked. "Who the hell's that?"
Ochaco was terrified of who she was going against.
"Okay!" Present Mic announced. "Let's press pause for a momentary interlude! Before the battles begin, it's time for some pulse pounding side games!"
Side Games
Goku decided to play along with the side games. The first one was a scavenger hunt which was easy since he got a card that asked for him to find an attractive girl. According to his older sister, an attractive girl should be a girl you like spending time with more than others.
While he did enjoy spending time with anyone from class, his Melissa's words only applied to Ochaco or Momo. When he thought about it, while he did enjoy having Ochaco around, he liked spending time with Momo more.
"Hey Momo." Goku greeted his deputy.
She wasn't participating in the game which made Goku feel like it was her loss since this was turning into a lot of fun.
"Y-yeah, what's up Goku?" Momo questioned.
She ended up blushing and stuttering slightly as him calling out to her was exactly like what happened in the hallway less than thirty minutes ago.
"Well, I got this card for the scavenger hunt, and it asked me to find a girl I really like to spend time with." Goku showed the card making Momo's go beet red as she read what it actually said. "When I thought about it, you've climbed to the top of my list recently."
"He really doesn't know anything about this, does he?" Momo thought shocked yet finding she really did want to go off with him. "I guess I know now why he was able to concentrate when Midnight taught."
"Momo." Goku waved his hand before her face. "Are you willing to accompany me?"
"Sure Goku." Momo finally stated.
"Alright!" Goku smiled as he grabbed her hand which somehow turned her face redder. "Let's go. After this, we should play all the games together and have some fun before we fight."
Momo did end up qualifying as one, and Goku ended up getting his deputy to accompany him to other games. The next one was a race to get a giant ball around a track faster than anyone else. Goku wanted to have fun rather than compete, so Momo and him didn't score too well.
Such a trend continued as they both performed well, yet they were content to let others shine. Soon, Cementoss finished the ring, and all the side games were finished resulting in the students heading to the bleachers they were assigned to.
"HEY SPORTS FANS, ARE YOU READY!?" Mic questioned causing the crowd to go nuts. "After all the action you've witnessed, it's time for the real battles to begin! Can you feel the excitement!? Our competitors are on their own now. Sometimes Heroes have only themselves to rely on. Heart, skill, strength, wisdom, and courage! They'll have to use it all to rise to the top!"
Goku was sitting in the bleachers with his class. He already knew who he was rooting for in the first match.
"Welcome to the first match of the Finals Tournament!" Present Mic announced. "It's Izuku Midoriya from the Hero course," Izuku popped his knuckles. "Versus, Hitoshi Shinzo from General Studies!" Hitoshi rubbed the back of his neck.
Tomura's Room
Tomura Shigaraki sat before the computer while Piccolo stood next to him, and both had been watching the Sports Festival. Currently, the later was attempting to mentor the former; however, he knew it would be a slow process.
Honestly, he'd have preferred the brat had been closely observing everything as information was a truly powerful force. Up to this point, he's watched the festival, but observation was another matter entirely.
"Alright, I want you to pay close attention to the battles, brat." Piccolo instructed. "Anyone that's managed to come this far could prove to be a formidable obstacle one day."
Tomura chuffed at that statement. "I'm not worried about a couple of kids."
He scratched his neck while Piccolo could only look on disapprovingly. The warrior didn't want to question the old man's choices, but it was always hard not to when it came to Tomura.
Arena
"The rules are simple. Immobilize your opponent or force them out of the ring! You can also win by getting the other person to cry uncle! READY!? BEGIN!"
Goku couldn't hear what Shinzo was saying, but it certainly seemed to anger Midoriya. "Don't you dare talk about Ojiro like that, you hear me!?"
Goku guessed that Shinzo insulted Mashairao to make his friend fight more emotionally rather than logically, but then he noticed something with Midoriya. He stopped moving, and his expression was blank. He looked like a puppet dangling from invisible strings. Goku could see Hitoshi had a small smirk before it went back to a frown.
"Ahhh!" Ojiro commented. "I warned him not to say anything!"
Goku remembered Mashairao had experienced this since he was on Shino's team during the Cavalry Battle. That meant his Quirk was triggered by speech which explained why Shinzo wanted to get Izuku to talk. That left the question of what exactly happened to Midoriya?
"Come on Deku." Ochaco stood up wondering what was going on with her friend.
"Why in the world isn't he moving?" Tenya pondered concerned over the situation.
"Huh!?" Mic questioned. "What's with these two? This is the first match. It should start off with a bang. The fight has just begun, yet Izuku Midoriya is completely frozen! He's not moving a muscle, and what's with that look on his face? Could this be a Quirk at work? Hitoshi Shinzo seems to have Izuku Midoriya completely stunned."
"This is a perfect example of why the Entrance Exam isn't rational." Aizawa pointed out.
"Why is that?" Mic asked.
"Since we're on to the individual matches, I had some information compiled on our final competitors." Aizawa started. "Shinzo failed the practical exam to get into the Hero Course. Since he also applied for General Studies, he probably figured that would happen.
His Quirk is incredibly strong, but that entrance test consisted of fighting foe Villains. Robots. It gave a huge advantage to those who had physical Quirks they could show off. Despite his physical abilities, Shinzo never stood a chance at passing."
Since everyone was silent, Goku could hear Hitoshi speak. "Here we are. You're lucky to have been so blessed, Izuku Midoriya. Now, turn around and walk out of bounds like a good little Hero."
After that was said, Izuku slowly turned his back on Shinzo and took a few steps away from him.
"Eh…WHAT?!" Mic yelled. "AAAAH! Midoriya's obeying him!"
Izuku took another step.
"Oh no Deku, what are you doing?" Uraraka questioned.
Another step away.
"He can't walk out of the ring." Iida added. "He'll lose the match if he does."
Another step away. Katsuki was observing the situation, and his face made it seem like he knew that it wasn't going to be that easy.
"No wonder he was able to get this far." Goku figured it out. "He used his Quirk on others and made them do the heavy lifting for him. Now, he's doing it again, but this time he's making sure the world knows what he's doing.
That's why he didn't make Izuku run out or jump off. He specifically told him to walk so people know he can do this for as long as he wants. He hasn't even told Midoriya to pick up the pace further cementing his point."
"Even with a Quirk like this, I have my own dream of becoming a Hero." Hitoshi informed. "So, lose for me."
Izuku was about to step out of bounds before a large shockwave erupted from his left side making everyone guess what just happened. They looked and when the dust cloud cleared, the 1-A student was panting heavily; however, he stopped himself from walking out of bounds.
What's more, Izuku broke free from Hitoshi's control, but while most others were cheering at the fact that he did it, Goku narrowed his eyes. He noticed Midoriya broke two of his fingers to get out of the brainwashing.
"It seems pain or some form of physical shock can break the connection." Goku thought. "That Quirk is limited in what it could do, so it makes sense how he couldn't pass the practical side of the Entrance Exam."
"No." Hitoshi was shocked. "Impossible." His shock turned to irritation. "You're not supposed to be able to fight back! What did you do!?"
Izuku covered his mouth as that warning Ojiro gave him earlier was suddenly far more prudent. He then glanced at his fingers and was thinking about what happened since he wasn't sure himself.
"How'd you do that!?" Shinzo demanded his opponent to answer him, but when there was no response, he regained his cool to press on with making his opponent talk again. "Come on, say something." Nothing. "I didn't know you had so much power in your fingers.
Makes me jealous." Midoriya started running towards him. "Thanks to the way my Quirk works, I've always been at a big disadvantage, but someone as blessed as you wouldn't understand!" "YOU'RE lucky enough to have a HEROIC QUIRK! It'll be EASY for you to reach your goal!"
Screaming that did prove one assumption Goku had. He, or other people, saw it as a Villainous Quirk, and he probably hated the treatment he got from it. That's why he was here. He came to prove that it could be used by a Hero. Midoriya reached his opponent and started pushing him.
"Say something damn it!" Hitoshi demanded.
He hit Midoriya with a right hook to the cheek, but that didn't stop the 1-A student from continuing his silent assault. Shinzo looked back and saw that he was almost out of the ring, so he acted fast punching his opponent's broken fingers.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Shinzo managed to reverse their positions and began pushing Izuku with all his might. "GET OUT OF THIS RING YOU LUCKY BRAT!"
It looked like it was over for Izuku, but he grabbed Hitoshi's collar stopping himself from falling. He used his other hand to grab his arm and fought through the pain of his broken fingers before using all his strength to throw the boy to the ground making him bounce up a few inches.
He was officially out of the ring which caused Midnight to raise her hand. "Shinzo is out of bounds! Midoriya advances to the next match!"
The crowd cheered and most of Class 1-A was glad to see that their classmate made it through. Goku was less concerned with his friend and more concerned with Hitoshi. While Mic was commentating about how it wasn't very flashy, Shinzo was visibly angry at multiple things.
He was angry at Midoriya for beating him, angry at his Quirk failing him, and angry at Present Mic for belittling the fight because it wasn't flashy. Most of all, he was angry at himself because he failed. He got up and turned his back on his opponent.
He stopped when he was asked a question. Goku couldn't make it out because people were still cheering, but he managed to see Hitoshi's face. He looked envious when he spoke, and the cheering finally died down. Whatever he said, it resonated with Midoriya.
He looked like he understood whatever he meant, but he couldn't do anything about it. If Goku took a guess, he'd say Shinzo was on the verge of giving up his dream. He looked hurt while he was walking out or the ring. Goku was about to cheer, but then he saw others do it before him.
"You were awesome out there Shinzo!"
Hitoshi looked up at the students from his class shocked to hear that.
"We're proud of you!"
"You didn't tell us you were that good!"
"Yeah! You're the star of our program!"
"I can't believe you put up such a great fight against the dude who's been getting first place in everything!"
Shinzo was speechless, and it only grew as his class turned his attention to the pros.
"With a Quirk like that, it would be simple to capture dangerous Villains."
"I wish I had it."
"I can't believe they stuck him in General Studies, those idiots."
"Well, there are a ton of applicants each year. Guess some people just slip through the cracks."
"If only he had more combat experience."
"Yeah, I bet he would have dominated. What a waste."
"Shinzo, you hear that?" One of his classmate's remarked. "It's great. They think you're incredible!"
Hitoshi didn't move a muscle, but Goku could see a glimmer of hope rekindled in his eyes. Those words, and the support from his class and Pro Heroes alike, were exactly what he needed at that moment.
Then, Hitoshi spoke up. "Depending on the results, they might transfer people into the Hero Course. Remember that. Even if it didn't work out this time, I'm not giving up. I'll get onto the Hero track, get certified, and become a better Pro than any of you."
Goku smiled glad to see Shinzo wasn't going to let this bring him down. Instead, it would make him rise to the occasion. He noticed Midoriya nod while speaking in support, but he suddenly got hit with Hitoshi's Quirk again.
"Heh, people usually tense up when they talk to me." Hitoshi looked back smiling at Izuku. "If you're not on guard, someone's going to defeat you so be careful." He let Midoriya out of the brainwashing. "You better not lose and make me look bad."
Izuku looked determined to win now. "I won't."
That got him brainwashed again and made Shinzo look at him like he was stupid. Goku decided to head out and told his friends he was just taking a walk to get something to snack on. In truth, he had another reason to go.
Corridors
There were ten minutes intervals between each match giving people time to restock on food, use the restroom, and give the students time to walk from the bleachers or waiting rooms to the arena for their match. Eventually, he managed to catch up to the person he wanted to see.
"Hey Shinzo." Goku called out.
The General Studies student heard his name and looked behind him recognizing the kid who called his name.
He stopped in his tracks and let Goku walk up to him. "What could he want with me? He's friends with Midoriya, so why not go check up on him?"
Goku had a warm smile on his face as he extended his hand and held it out like before. "I'll see you in the Hero Course, Hitoshi." Unlike before, Shinzo's expression did change showing he was taken aback.
"I told you before, didn't I? I said, 'I hope you make it in as a welcome addition'. In my opinion, I think you earned a spot with your performance. That's why I hope the next time we meet, it's in the Hero Course."
Hitoshi looked at the hand while thinking back on the events that happened.
Eventually, he smiled and extended his hand out gripping Goku's. "Count on it." Goku nodded making Shinzo proud. "Smart guy." He let go and started walking away. "I'll be rooting for you and your friend Midoriya, so don't lose until at least the semifinals."
He looked back one last time to see Goku give a thumbs up before they both went their separate ways. The younger Shield was happy for Hitoshi. He worked hard to get this far, so hopefully his dream can be achieved thanks to everyone seeing it.
When it was time to return, Goku bought a skewered dango to munch on as he began to make his way back. Then, he stopped when he heard voices.
"It's time to stop this childish rebellion of yours." Goku recognized that voice as Endeavors'. "You have a duty to surpass that imbecile, All Might. Do you understand what I'm saying?" He sounded 'pleasant' as ever. "You're different from your siblings. You're my masterpiece."
"Is that all you have to say to me, you bastard?" Shoto's voice clued Goku into the fact that Endeavor was at least, if not more, unpleasant in his private life. "I'll win this match and advance using only mom's Quirk. I won't give you the pleasure of seeing me use yours."
"Even if that works for you in this tournament, you'll soon find the limits of that power." Endeavor informed.
"I don't agree with him on some of the things he's saying, but ice does have its limits just like fire does. If Shoto used his fire half, he could cancel out the drawbacks. Given what I know about Todoroki, he must have his reasons, and it seems obvious it's his father." Goku thought.
He decided to turn around and take a different route back to his classmates. It took a little longer, but he'd rather not have been seen by Endeavor or Shoto at that time. When he got back, he noticed Tenya, Ochaco, Izuku, and Momo were all sitting together. They had saved him a seat.
The next two combatants were standing in the arena as Mic announced, "Enough standing around! Let's welcome to the ring our next players!" The screen showed them. "Even beautiful flowers have thorns. It's the assassin from class 1-B. Ibara Shiozaki from the Hero Course!"
She seemed slightly saddened at that introduction. "Verses, an early front runner in the competition who's way too strong for his own good. Someone who rightfully got into the Hero Course based on recommendation. It's Shoto Todoroki."
The crowd cheered
"Excuse me," Ibara spoke up getting Mic's attention. "Please pardon the interruption. I'm not sure why you called me an assassin. I've come in search of victory; not to take my opponent's life. That wouldn't be in line with the values of a Hero at all, sir."
Goku was a bit confused because he knew Mic meant it as a compliment to most likely her Quirk, but she seemed to take it literally.
Mic said sorry, but she kept going. "Gentlemen, I didn't enter U.A. for wicked or selfish reasons, but to deliver salvation unto others." Somehow, the sunlight around her managed to get brighter. "It is my humble quest to spread true good across this world."
"Listen, I said I was sorry!" Mic reminded her. "That was my bad, okay?"
The light around her went back to normal. "I thank you for your kind understanding."
As she bowed respectfully, Goku guessed she was probably raised to be a good samaritan and was shown a more literal side of life. Aside from that, she seemed to have the heart to be a Hero.
"With that, it's time for the second match of the finals! READY!? BEGIN!"
Todoroki surged forth a massive wave of ice quicker than Ibara was expecting as it slammed into her before she could do anything. She was taken out of the ring, and her entire body was encased in ice with only her head left out.
Ibara's teeth chattered. "M-My… what a s-sinful way to win."
"Ibara Shiozaki has been rung out." Midnight declared. "Shoto Todoroki continues to the next round."
The crowd began to yell nice try which only made Ibara hang her head.
"Sorry, it was a bit much." Shoto approached and began to melt the ice. "I was angry is all."
While the ice was clearing up, Goku noticed Shoto was saddened that he did that, but not because he went overboard. It was more like he was sad that he lashed out in anger against his opponent and not to the person he was angry at.
Corridors
During the next interval, Goku and Izuku were walking down the halls. They told the class it was to go get drinks, but that wasn't the main reason.
"It's Todoroki, right?" Goku asked bluntly.
"Yeah." Izuku looked down. "He told me some personal things, and I want to help him; however, I just don't know how. So, I thought maybe you could help me with that."
"I get you want to help him, and I'm all for that." Goku started. "Just make sure you know what you're doing and saying when you face him."
"Wait, are you talking about during our match?" Midoriya asked.
"From what little I know; I'd say it's your best chance." Goku explained.
"What's your take on him?" Midoriya questioned.
"He thinks his fire is a curse." Goku started. "The only way to help him is to find a way to prove him wrong."
"How can I figure that out?" Izuku asked. "I don't have fire powers of my own."
"Change his view on it." Goku answered. "Find out the way he specifically sees his Quirk and bend the way he sees it without changing his perspective."
Midoriya thought about it for a moment and decided to trust in his friend's advice. The two of them then got some drinks and went back to the bleachers.
Arena
"Welcome back everyone!" Mic announced. "Sorry for that long wait. The insane amount of ice from the second match has finally been cleared, so it's time to welcome new competitors. The first has six arms which shows he doesn't skip arm day. It's Mezo Shoji!
Verses, The boy with engines in his legs. Another Hero in the making. Tenya Iida!" He looked determined, and the crowd cheered. "KEEP THOSE EYES PEEEEEEEEELED! I want to see a super flashy battle this time! BEGIN!"
"I'll be coming at you with everything I got, Shoji." Tenya declared.
Mezo unfurled his arms fully and held the bottom two over the ground. "I want nothing less."
Tenya took off speeding towards Mezo who managed to punch his lower two arms into the ground giving him a firm hold of the arena. Tenya noticed this, yet still went for the kick; however, his opponent did not budge.
Before Shoji could grapple him, and presumably attempt to throw him out, Iida managed to kick off his opponent to get away. "As the front horse of Midoriya's chariot, I had ample time to study you up close."
"I see that now." Tenya began speeding around Shoji.
"Looks like we are amid a battle between endurance and speed folks!" Mic declared. "The question is who's greater?"
Mezo created eyes along his arms and had them give him a 360 view of the field. Even if he had this view, it didn't mean Tenya didn't speed in attempting to land a kick. Ultimately, it achieved little as Shoji was firm and moved to grapple him which almost worked a few times.
Eventually, Iida realized that he would slip up if they continued like this. While he had wanted to save this move for later in the tournament, now was as good a time as any to use it. He stopped across from Mezo and lined himself up which confused the multiple armed guy.
"I must admit Shoji, you came up with a great strategy that utilized your Quirk to its fullest. That is why I'm going to give you the respect you deserve by going all out. Provided you can survive what I'm about to do, I'll be easy to toss out."
Tenya lowered himself to the ground and put his hands on it.
"I see then." Mezo got into a truly firm position and braced his arms while preparing his four free ones. "Then, I will receive your best."
Iida's engines went into overtime as blue flames shot out of them. "Torque Over!" He sped forward taking advantage of their distance to go as fast as possible. "Recipro Burst!"
Tenya slammed into Shoji moving faster than he ever has before. Unlike Bakugo, Shoto, or Goku, Mezo just didn't have enough reaction speed to counter this. As a result, even with his arms and stance as firm as possible, he was knocked clear out of the ring.
"There's our answer folks!" Mic announced. "Today, speed overcame endurance!"
Tenya was panting a little and sweating a bit; however, he still approached his classmate who had just gotten off the ground. "You were a tough opponent to overcome, Shoji." He held out his hand. "Your strategy was quite sound which is exactly why I had developed that secret move."
"I will say that making it this far only to lose now does sting." Mezo shook the offered hand. "Still, the stronger student won."
Midnight came over and began gushing about their sportsmanship. While she did that, and everyone analyzed their match, Goku started to walk out of the bleachers. His fight was next, and he had ten minutes to get ready.
"Let's keep pumping out these things and move on!" Present Mic announced signaling for Goku to head into the arena. "Time for the fourth match! Get ready to watch two new players duke it out!"
"He's the kid who showed us all he can fly, it's Goku Shield from Class 1-A!" Goku had a determined smile about him as he walked into the arena. "Verses, the great creator whose also from Class 1-A, Momo Yaoyorozu" She had a determined look about her.
Goku gazed at his opponent seeing that she was ready to go. "May the better fighter win."
"Sorry, but I cannot agree." Momo shook her head which surprised Goku. "We both know you're the better out of the two of us, so agreeing with your words would be like accepting defeat." She held out an open hand. "I came to win, so I'll be rooting for the underdog of this battle."
She closed her hand into a fist and got into a fighting stance. Goku had to chalk this up as another situation he just didn't understand. He knew he liked seeing Momo all fired up and determined, yet he couldn't place the why. Despite the confusion, he focused up.
Goku held his right arm forward and kept his hand open as he spoke. "Then let's show them what we're made of."
He closed his hand into a fist and got into a fighting stance.
"Such youthful energy and sportsmanship!" Midnight remarked. "I can't wait for the action!"
"READY!?" Mic hyped up the crowd. "BEGIN!"
Momo created a metal staff and brandished it as she ran at Goku. When she made it to the class rep, she began swinging the staff with a practiced ease. Despite that, Goku deftly dodged. Then, she began to kick at him, so he deflected them with the back of his hands.
Finally, she began to use both in tandem and attempted to throw them in at random hoping to trip Goku up. He simply answered in kind by deflecting or dodging whatever came his way. Goku then ran from Momo prompting her to following him as they reengaged around the stage.
"Oh man!" Present Mic announced. "Even though one of them went toe to toe with a powerful Villain, this fight might not be over quickly!"
Eventually, Momo managed to break away from Goku and move into a defensive stance. Just having Goku around told her a lot but clashing with him told her more. She knew something was off and had a good guess what; however, she knew Goku wouldn't do such a thing.
Not without reason. She'd just have to confront him after the fight. Speaking of the fight, even knowing what she did, she didn't have many options. Making anything too big was out given her opponent. As for Goku, he knew what he was doing, but again didn't understand why.
All he knew now was that he would soon end the fight; however, he already knew he could have ended it earlier. Goku was wishing to know, now more than ever, why Momo confused him unlike anyone else he's ever met. It was all just so odd.
The crowd was cheering at the spectacle that was unfolding while Class 1-A was impressed with how well their class deputy was doing against their class rep. Eventually, Momo made her move as she ran forward before slamming her staff into the ground.
She used it as a pole vault to gain air before dropping and aiming an axe kick at Goku. He crossed his arms and even went to one knee; however, he had effectively blocked her. This now felt like the right opportunity. Goku grabbed Momo by the leg and threw her out of bounds.
To most, save people like Todoroki, Midoriya, and Bakugo, it would look like this was Goku's plan. Lure her close enough to the edge and toss out. Goku and Momo knew the truth of the situation. One of them was determined to understand why this fight had gone this way.
"Momo Yaoyorozu has been forced out of bounds!" Midnight announced. "Goku advances to the second round!"
Corridors
Normally, after a match, the opponents would take different exits; however, it wasn't uncommon for two fighters to take the same exit. That's why no one really batted an eye when Momo ended up following Goku back to his exit.
Now that they were alone, Momo looked at Goku. "Alright, out with it."
Goku rubbed the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "What do you mean?"
"Goku, don't play with me." Momo stated firmly. "That out there wasn't your best. I have an idea why; however, I want to hear it from you. Why were you holding back? Honestly, I wasn't as prepared as I should have been, so you could have ringed me out immediately."
"I don't know." Goku sighed as he let his confusion show fully. "Picturing myself fighting anyone else, I wouldn't have held back. When it came to you, I wanted you to get to show at least a bit of what you could do. Make you look good to the audience.
It's a lot like what I asked you in that hallway about the cheerleading outfit." Momo blushed at that. "Honestly, you've become really confusing to me because a lot about how I've viewed you lately doesn't add up, yet it feels like it should. I want it to all click though."
D-Does Goku have feelings for me." Momo's blush was scarlet as she gripped her face with both hands. "Do I have feeling for him? Yes… maybe… I don't know! I mean, he is smart, handsome, strong, and kind."
"Momo, are you okay?" Goku asked concerned.
"Yes, I'm fine." Momo stated rather quickly before starting to walk off. "Anyways, we should…"
"Momo, wait!" Goku ended up grabbing her hand which only made the poor girl more flustered. "You still didn't answer my question."
"Uh…" Momo never found herself a at loss when it came to saying anything… except when it came to Goku lately. "I… I'll tell you later because I really got to think on this." She got her hand away from his. "Just… Just give me time."
"Okay then." Momo ran off rather quickly which left Goku feeling unsatisfied and no less confused. "Maybe some food will help me figure this out."
He walked off to find a stand, so he could be back for the next match.
Before you guys say anything, Goku from the first Dragon Ball series literally thought marriage was a type of food. Apparently, according to Dragon Ball Super, Goku's never kissed Chi Chi. I don't know how that's possible given what has to happen for Goten and Gohan to come into the world, and I'm not going to question it. All of this is to say that Goku has to be dense about something here and it makes sense given I get the impression that Saiyans weren't the best mates.
I think Elites are a truly different story in this regard while Bardock and Gine were their own, unique story all together. What I will say is that this Goku does know a lot more about romantic relationships; however, he's never experienced it until now. Even after his dad, and eventually his sister, explained it to him, he's still fuzzy on just what it all means. As for Momo, she strikes me as someone whose never really thought of a romantic relationship before.
For those of you worried, I'm not about to rush anything here since Momo needs to figure things out, and Goku will need to do the same as far as he can. Beyond this, four matches are down which only leaves eight to go in this round. So far, Izuku, Shoto, Mezo, and Goku have all progressed to the next round where it'll only get harder from here.
Guest: I do wish you were a little more constructive with your criticism, but I do thank you for giving my story a chance.
3bodyjaa: Thanks
James Birdsong: Thank you.
ArguableReader(Ch.9): Yeah, it seemed inevitable when Ochaco is around. I think Chi Chi was actually just red with anger, but I could be wrong. As for the type of woman I think Goku would be attracted to, it would be likely as you said. Someone strong willed.
ArguableReader(Ch. 10): it was more or less your standard barrier quite akin to Xenoverse 2 actually. As for Goku in canon, I'd say DB is where he experiences an arc going from a woodsy Monkey Boy to who he became in Z and beyond. In Z and beyond, he is supposed to be a Flat Character. Flat Characters don't change and instead are used to progress the arcs of others. Essentially, a Flat Character knows where they are in life.
North(Ch. 1): I get what you're saying, and I think future chapters do fix that. Though, thank you for the rest of your lovely review, and I hope youcontinue to enjoy.
Monster King: Thanks.