"All right, Listen!" yapped Glasses. "It's time for this morning's homeroom period! Take your seats, everyone!"
"We are in our seats," said Tape arms.
The door opened and Mr. Aizawa came in, covered in bandages.
"Morning, class."
"Mr. Aizawa, you're already back?" everyone cried out.
"Sensei, you're all right?" asked Glasses.
"Can you really call that OK?" said Round face.
"Don't worry about me. After all, the battle hasn't really ended for you yet."
"The Battle?" I asked.
"You don't mean…" said Deku behind me - all healed up from the USJ.
"More villains?" cried Grape head.
"The UA Sports Festival is approaching."
"A Sports Festival? Keep forgetting this is an actual school!" shouted one of the extras.
"Wait, hold up!" said Ball Head. "That sounds like something villains would try to infiltrate, isn't it? Will it be all right?"
Stupid chattering moron. Hasn't he ever seen the Sports Festival?
"On the contrary," replied Sensei. "Since we're going ahead with the festival, it means the school is confident it has it's ducks in a row when it comes to crisis control now. I hear police presence will be five times bigger than normal, for example. What you should be thinking about is what a huge chance the Sports Festival presents for you all. This isn't some event that'll be brought to a halt by the likes of villains."
"Why not?" quacked Ball Head. "It's just a Sports Festival."
"Mineta," said Deku, "have you never seen the UA sports Festival?"
"Of course I have! That's not it!" Ball Head whined back.
Aizawa sensei continued, "Our sports Festival is one of Japan's biggest events. Long ago, the Olympics was the Sports Festival that whipped the nation into a froth of enthusiasm, but now the extent and population have shrunk and it's lost a lot of substance. So what has taken the place of the Olympics in Japan is the UA sports festival."
"The country's top heroes are all sure to be watching us," said Ponytail. "It's because they'll be scouting for us."
"I'm thinking I might follow the tactic of going sidekick for a pro hero's squad after graduating!" said Dunce Face.
"But there are loads of people who get stuck as sidekicks forever, and miss their chance to break out as solo heroes," Ears told him. "And you seem just that kind of dumbass, Kaminari."
Made me wanna snigger.
"Naturally," said Sensei, "entering a famous hero team will get you higher status and more experience. Remember, time is limited. If you get noticed by a pro, that gives you the standing for a brighter future than otherwise. This is the chance you'll only get once a year, for a total of three. If you're aiming to be a hero, this is an event you can't overlook."
Yeah. That's it. This is my time, I thought to myself, grinning.
A few days later, a ton of extras from other classes had started crowding the door to Class, blocking Deku's group - him, Glasses, Ball Head and Round Face - from getting out.
"What the Heck?!" shouted Round Face.
"What're they crowding the exit for?" asked Bll Head.
"They're scoping out the competition, idiot," I told him, walking through Deku's group while he trailed behind me, apologizing to Ball Head "Sorry, that's him in neutral mode," like he was my secretary or something.
"They wanna see the gang who came through the villain ambush," I told them, walking through Glasses and Round Face. "They're checking us out before the big battle." I took a survey of the crowd of plain faces. "It's pointless to try, so why don't ya just fuck off, extras?"
"Don't go calling people extras just because you don't know who they are!" shouted Glasses.
A grumbling voice came through the crowd. "I came to see what you kids are made of, but I didn't think you'd be this arrogant." A tall dude with spiky purple hair and dark under-eye shadows pushed his way through to the front of the crowd. "Are all the kids in the Hero course like this? I'm a bit disillusioned. So that's it, huh? There's lots of kids who wind up in the General Education Department or other departments because they failed the Heroics one. Did you know that? And based on the results of the Sports Festival, people can be even come under review to be transferred to Heroics. And the reverse is also possible. Scoping out the competition? A general ed kid like me is thinking, hey, Why don't I try pulling the rug out from under those Heroics kids while they're on their high horses? Consider it a declaration of war."
Another extra with spiky gray hair and eyebrows that went around his e entire eyes pushed his way through too. "Hey! You! I'm from Class 1B! I heard you knocked around with Villains or whatever so I came to hear it direct! But I don't wanna hear from some snot-nosed punk! Don't embarrass us during the main event, you hear me?"
I could feel Deku and his squad watching me from behind. Waiting to hear what I'd say. Wasn't anything to say. I headed out the door.
"Wait a second, man!" shouted Weird Hair. "What did you just do? Now we're gonna get haters!"
"It doesn't matter," I told him. "None of that matters once you're at the top." And with that, I headed out. No need to spare those extras another second of my time.
I had to train. And prepare. Get ready to crush those extras into the dirt and show the world that I'm the best of the best.
"Everyone, are your preparations complete?" yelled Glasses. "We're set to enter very soon!"
Our class was gathered together in the waiting room of the Stadium. As everyone was gathering their wits and preparing to leave…
"Midoriya." Icy Hot had walked straight up to Deku, who was standing with his usual group.
"What is it, Todoroki?" he said, looking real nervous. I watched them. What was this about?
"On an objective basis, I think I'm above you in terms of practical strength," said IcyHot. Well, duh.
Deku replied, "Wha? Uh, yeah…?"
"You've managed to get All Might's eyes on your, right?" asked IcyHot. "I'm not prying into that, but…I'm going to beat you."
What…beat HIM? You're going to beat Deku? Deku All Might's favorite, Deku the rival? How's that possible?
"Oho?" asked Dunce Face who was sitting next to me. "What's with this declaration of war from the strongest kid in class?"
"What's with this belligerence all of a sudden?" asked Weird Hair, grabbing IcyHot's shoulder. He shrugged him off. "Don't spring this on him right before - "
"I'm not here to play nice and make friends," IcyHot snapped at him, "but whatever."
Deku was staring down at his hands. He was clenching his fists a little.
"I have no idea what you want from me," he said, "telling me all that. You're definitely stronger than me. In fact, you probably have more potential than anyone in the hero course. Looking at it objectively."
Then why're you here, dammit? If you know that you're a damn loser, why're you at UA?
"C'mon Midoriya," said Weird Hair, "Don't be so negative…"
"Even so!" Deku interrupted - or rather continued… "Everyone, even kids from other departments, are aiming for the top with everything they've got!" Something had changed in him now. This wasn't self-deprecation or false modesty, no…this was something else. He looked up to meet my gaze, and there was no wavering now. "So I can't let myself lag behind. I'll be aiming for the top too." And now Deku was staring IcyHot right in the face, looking completely different.
All icyHot said back was "Oh."
"Hnn," I muttered, irritated and mystified. Challenging Deku, huh? You're gonna regret that.
Present Mic's voice boomed out as we walked into the ring. "Let me guess, you all came to see them, right? The fresh-formed miracle stars that shrugged off a mass villain assault with wills of steel! The Hero department freshman class 1-A!"
The venue for the UA Sports Festival was a gigantic, glittering arena, a circular stadium with seating for cheering thousands and a broadcast geared worldwide.
Deku was muttering, "So many people!"
"Can you draw out your best performance with so many eyes?" asked Glasses. "This is another link in the Hero Training schedule."
"Wow, they're really praising us to the sky, I'm getting nervous!" cried out Weird Hair. "You, Bakugou?"
"No way," I replied. "Just makes me more pumped." The extras joined us, class by class, until the entire Freshman year stood before the podium.
"Now, now, fair play!" announced the referee for our year, our teacher the R-rated hero Midnight, once everyone had gathered. After she'd rung us in, she called "Now, for your player representative: Katsuki Bakugou of Class 1-A!"
Yeah, they'd let me know this was my task today. No guidance for what I was supposed to say. Just head up to the podium and say something inspiring.
From behind me I heard Deku saying all disbelieving "Our representative is Kacchan?" and Soy Sauce Face saying "He placed first in the Entrance Exam, remember?"
Yeah, you better remember it, Deku. I made my way up to the podium and the microphone. "Sensei," I said, "I'm gonna place first."
The extras all started yelling and booing at me. Glasses yelling, Deku looking dismayed, all the class looking annoyed. "You'll all make great stepping stones," I told em. This wasn't boasting, though. I'm not up for that anymore. I need to make sure they'll come at me with everything they've got. That everyone will know that I'm the best of the best. And bringing the Class in on that, well..they'd better know that Class 1-A is like me. We expect the same from everyone, and we can take it.
Deku was watching me and I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but it almost looked like he knew what was on my mind. I bumped his shoulder as I passed him, headed back in the crowd.
Midnight said "Aii right, with that we can move directly onto our first event! Onto the Preliminaries as they're called! Lots of fine folk end up choking on their tears here every year! And this year's first round is…" she pointed to a screen, and the words came up. OBSTACLE RACE "This!"
"It's a race between all 11 classes. The course makes a nearly 4km ring around this stadium! We always sing about our freedom on campus. Well, this is what it's all about! You're free to do anything, so long as you remain within the course! So let's get cracking. On your marks!"
Everyone took their stance, headed for the gate. The buzzer rang. "START!" and I was ready to go
The opening gate was instantly filled to the brim with extras trying to all cram though at once. I was able to get off the ground, and just in time to avoid getting frozen by IcyHot. He'd been able to freeze up the doorway and strap most of the extras. But it was no trouble for me blasting out towards him.
"You won't get away that easily, IcyHot!" I shouted after him as he looked back, running out ahead along the obstacle course.
"I ain't buying your bluff, Todoroki!" shouted Ball Head,."Now why don't ya swallow my killer move, grape ru-"
With a loud bang, he was swatted away and rolled across the ground.
Facing us was a giant army of the 0 pointers from the Entrance Exam.
"A Robo inferno!" shouted Present Mic's voice over the loudspeakers. "It's the Villain Bot that was worth 0 points in the Entrance Exam!"
It took IcyHot about a minute to freeze them all solid, off their balance, and skate right past 'em.
"1-A's Todoroki has forged ahead and blocked the others in one fell swoop!" called out Mic's voice. "That kid's HARSH! Incredible, he's removed himself from the rest of the competition! Feels kinda unfair, actually."
Unfair, huh? Just watch me, then.
