Hill was a pretty loose definition for the mountain of concrete he was looking at. The 'Hill' was at least 100 feet tall with a flat top just big enough for two opponents to fight, the slope of the hill was nearly a 45 degree angle.
The hundreds of contestants had one hand on walls of the stadium forming a circle around the hill. Once the buzzer sounded they would have to cross around 100 feet of open ground before they could even begin their climb.
"Do I have to be here?" Aizawa droned over the speakers.
"I wish I could be closer too!" Present Mic screamed into his microphone.
"Ughhh," Hitoshi groaned next to Izuku in embarrassment, his hand dragging down his face.
"At least they don't wear a dominatrix outfit as their hero costume," Izuku commiserated.
"Ha! I can't even imagine how you feel," Hitoshi said.
"It wouldn't be so bad if I couldn't feel everyone's attraction to her," Izuku lamented.
Hitoshi laid a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "That's rough buddy."
"Rules are simple! The higher on the hill, the more points you get per second! Anything goes but you'll only get points while in contact with the ground!" Present Mic explained.
"Start," Eraserhead said unceremoniously just before a buzzer sounded throughout the stadium.
The ground around Izuku cratered from the force of his jump before he flew off towards the top of the hill. He landed first, Black Cowl snapping into position as he readied himself to defend his position. After the two weeks of intensive training he was not only able to push Black Cowl to 40% but it was now capable of covering his hands and feet.
Looking around he could see that the students without mobility enhancing Quirks were barely ten feet from their starting positions. One entire half of the stadium was frozen, the contestants frozen in place with Todoroki running ahead of them. He also saw that there were more people capable of flight than he had anticipated.
Rin Hiryu was covered head to toe in green scales, draconic wings beating in the air.
Pony Tsunotori was riding on one of her horns as if it was a witch's broom while seven more horns floated beside her.
Kaibara Sen's arms and legs were spinning in a blur so fast that he was creating cyclones of air powerful enough to give him flight.
Izuku couldn't believe his eyes when he saw what Fukidashi Manga was doing, he was driving a colorful clown car that looked as if he had pulled it straight out of a gag manga.
Tokage Setsuna's head flew with a swarm of what looked to be puzzle pieces comprising the rest of her body behind her. Since the pieces of her body didn't appear to be nude he assumed she had managed to get a DNA infused uniform.
Bakugou was flying low to the ground with the aid of small explosions.
Turning, he saw Mei traveling faster than he thought was possible for her suit. Had she upgraded the thrusters? The skeletal-like thrusters that made up her wings were spread wide as she descended like an avenging angel. The moment she landed she had her Exitus pistol raised directly at his face.
Izuku raised his forearms to block, the moment after the first shot landed he would counter. The round struck with the force of a kick from Rumi, the electricity of the Electrogel round not traveling through his carapace of energy. He lowered his guard and prepared to rush his girlfriend but Danger Sense blared and time slowed.
Mei wasn't lining up a second shot. Stabilizers had unfolded from her armor around her feet and drilled deep into the concrete. The eight thrusters that made up her wings were angled over her shoulders and pointed directly at him.
He tried to dodge out of the way but he found that his feet were encased in pink riot foam from her Mei-flies. He could break through the foam but not fast enough, he would have to block whatever was coming.
"Exterminatus!" Mei yelled through the speakers in her helmet.
The thrusters roared to life and eight beams of plasma combined into one. Izuku barely had time to raise his arms again before the beam of plasma hit him full force. The sleeves of his uniform evaporated as what amounted to an oversized plasma cutter struck him. The beam didn't get through Black Cowl but it was getting hot, he could feel his skin beginning to burn.
Periwinkle enveloped his entire world as something hit him hard enough to send him tumbling through the air and off the side of the hill. Righting himself, he saw Nejire land on the top of the hill wearing a slasher smile that was very much Himiko. Himiko's uniform didn't seem to be bursting at the seams around her curves so she must have gotten ahold of a DNA uniform as well.
"That's got a kick!" Himi-Nejire said.
Mei rose to her feet behind Himiko, the dust cloud kicked up by the attack having concealed her, her armor scored but functioning, her anchors having kept her from getting launched off the hill.
Himiko whirled, having sensed her movement but Mei was faster in her power armor. The knuckles on Mei's fist crackled with electricity as she swung for Himi-Nejire's gut. The electricity arced to its target causing the muscles that would normally help to absorb a punch to lock up just before the fist collided, sending Himiko tumbling and clutching her stomach over the edge of the lip of the hill.
Izuku slammed onto the top of the hill once more, but so too did someone else.
Rumi landed and seamlessly transitioned into a round house to Mei's back that sent her over the edge after Himiko.
Her ruby eyes snapped to him alight with excitement.
"We haven't had a proper spar since you figured out Black Cowl, let's see if you still can't beat me!" She roared before rushing him fast and low to the ground.
She wanted to get under his guard? Fine.
He raised his joined fists in the air before bringing the axe-handle blow down to intercept Rumi.
Rumi smirked as she stopped short, the ground beneath her cracking from the sudden shift. She used her momentum to pivot into a kick that sailed over his joined fists straight for his head. He was only barely able to shift so that he took the blow in the shoulder instead, the hit sounding like the boom of thunder.
There it was; the main reason he could never beat her. He was probably as strong as her now, maybe even more so but she didn't have to plan out each attack like he did. She had honed her animalistic instincts into a finely tuned weapon to the point that everything was just reflex.
Izuku's left foot dug into the concrete to avoid being toppled by the kick. When the second kick came blurring at him he was able to block it with his forearm and throw a punch at Rumi's jaw.
Instead of dodging the blow, Rumi grabbed it and wrapped herself around his arm in a flying arm bar, her impossibly muscled legs squeezing the life out of him before he even hit the ground.
Every muscle in Rumi's body was dedicated to the task of breaking his arm, her gym uniform ripping at the seams as her arms and legs bulged with effort.
Izuku was able to resist her enough to keep his arm from breaking immediately but he didn't know for how long. He activated Empathy and began channeling despair into everyone around him.
"It'll take more than that to break my spirit!" Rumi bellowed in defiance as she redoubled her efforts to break his arm.
Izuku activated Float and lifted Rumi and himself off the ground before rocketing back into it with Rumi between him and the concrete.
Rumi gasped as the air was knocked from her, her death grip on him and his arm loosening enough to escape.
XXX
Nejire watched as Izuku fought their girlfriends for control of the top of the hill. Mei's laser attack looked like it was about to overwhelm Izuku if Himiko wearing her form hadn't intervened.
How fast could Mei fly now? Could that laser carbonize cells? What was its range? Himiko looked so happy to be wearing her form, could she pull off that smile too? Who was faster, herself or Himiko wearing her form? She wanted to find out!
"Oguro and Midoriya duke it out for the crown as they literally blow away the competition!" Present Mic yelled over the speakers.
The fight between Rumi and Izuku was escalating to the point that nobody else could get near them, the force of the blows creating booming shockwaves and gale force gusts of wind that sent anyone seeking to interfere back down the hill. They didn't even seem to notice the intensity that their fight was getting to or the people that attempted to take the top of the hill and were subsequently blown off it. They were in their own little world as they fought with the intensity most pro heroes couldn't hope to match.
Who was stronger? Faster? How much stronger was Black Cowl compared to Full Cowl? Was Izuku not using Smokescreen because he knew it would just get blown away? Was Rumi too strong to be captured with Blackwhip? Was Rumi immune to Empathy or just fighting through it?
1-B looked to be content where they were. They had banded together and took up a defensive position near the top of the hill on one side. On the other 1-A were fighting amongst themselves near the top and anyone from the other courses that tried to ascend.
1-B was on the opposite side and it was difficult to make out their Quirks from the camera feeds. It wasn't fair, she wanted to seeeee.
Nejire was brought out of her observations by Eri tugging on her clothes to get her attention.
"Mama, why are Papa and Mamas fighting?" She asked, sounding both confused and worried.
"I don't like it," Yuki said with a light tremble in her voice, her ears flat to her head.
Nejire smiled at her daughters reasurredly and bounced them on her knees.
"Don't worry babies, It's like a game. They're showing off so they can prove they'll make good heroes," Nejire tried to explain in a way they would understand.
"But Papa and Mamas are already the best heroes," Eri countered, sounding less worried but even more confused.
"Ya!" Yuki agreed, her ears popping back up.
"I agree! Let's cheer them on!" Nejire said, trying to inject some excitement.
Her girls both raised their little fists in the air and began shouting encouragement as loud as they could manage.
"Did you get that on video?" Inko whispered a little panicked.
"I got it, I got it," Anan whispered back.
"Send it to me!" Kan whisper-shouted.
"Me too!" Mr. Yagi, who she now knew was All Might said, not even bothering to whisper.
Now that she knew she was kicking herself for not seeing the similarities between his personality and All Might.
Nejire's attention was brought back to the fight by a sudden drop in temperature. Turning back to look, she saw that a glacier now covered the side of the hill that 1-B was on.
Looks like she found where Todoroki was.
It wasn't looking good for 1-B if they couldn't get out of that.
A creaking sound filled the air as cracks began to rapidly form in the ice. Not a second later the glacier exploded and in its place stood a giant Kodai Yui with her right fist held high and her left bicep flexing.
"MM!" Kodai declared, the deep rumble of her giant voice carrying throughout the stadium.
Was that her hero pose? It looked like she practiced. Maybe in the mirror? She wasn't naked, did she get a DNA uniform like Himiko? Mirio must be jealous that those are so easy to come by now.
The buzzer blared, signaling the end of the first event. There was still time left so why did it end?
"The 42 participants still able to continue will move on to the next event!" Present Mic announced.
"Don't underestimate wide range attacks," Eraserhead commented.
The camera all zoomed in to focus on the hundreds of participants covered head to toe in mushrooms who were trying and failing to stand at the base of the hill. The cameras then panned over to Komori Kinoko smiling and making a peace sign at the camera then turning and patting the heads of little…mushrooms with arms and legs.
SHE HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS!
XXX
"MM!"
Mount Lady spit out the Takoyaki she had charmed the stall worker into giving her at what she had just seen on the breakroom's tv.
Yu turned to Kamui Woods and wiped her mouth on her sleeve.
"I need her to intern with me! Help me fill out the form pleaaaaase!" She begged her boyfriend.
"You can do it yourself, consider it payback for always stealing my thunder," Shinji said.
"I said I was sorrrry~" She whined while giving her best puppy dog eyes.
"That isn't fair!" Shinji declared while crossing his arms.
XXX
"Woah…" Rumi and Izuku said in perfect unison at the sight of Kodai.
She was almost as big as Mount Lady!
Izuku turned to Rumi, her uniform had been reduced to shorts and a muscle tee, the same as his.
"Call it a draw?" He asked.
Rumi blew out an annoyed breath before answering, "Fine."
"Pretty sure I have a few fractures," Izuku admitted with a smile.
Rumi gave a short laugh. "Same, you hit way harder now."
Izuku sidled up to her and threw her shoulder over his so they could help support each other's weight for the walk down the hill.
They hobbled their way down the hill to where everyone was gathered away from the hill so that Cementoss could remove it. Many were brushing off mushrooms and looking like they were about to pass out from exhaustion. Most of 1-A was looking a bit battered and bruised while 1-B looked ready for more.
Mei approached them while carrying Himiko in a princess carry, the blonde clutching her midsection.
"My Exterminatus worked great! The shock punch too! I think I broke her rib!" Mei stated proudly.
"Definitely more than..one," Himiko said with a wince.
"Maybe don't use that Exterminatus attack on someone unless you know they can survive it okay?" Izuku asked.
"Sure, Sure," Mei agreed a little too easily.
Tsu limped up to them, Ochako supporting her weight with a shoulder. Ochako was beaming with joy despite her black eye and bloodied knuckles
"Don't worry, ribbit. I cut my foot on Kirishima, he's sharper than he looks," Tsu said.
"Was that a joke?" Rumi asked with a half smile.
Tsu's only response was a languid wink that was so slow he couldn't be sure if it was actually a wink or just a one eyed blink.
Green vines snaked through the crowd, Shiozaki speaking once they had.
"Please, allow me to tend to your wounds."
Small yellow flowers bloomed on the vines and released a cloud of pollen from each. As Izuku inhaled the pollen he could feel the fractures that Cell Activation was still working on mend immediately. Looking around, everyone was watching in awe as their wounds vanished.
Kyoka marched up to him with anger rolling off of her. Before he could ask what was the matter, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him away. He could only shrug at his girlfriends' questioning looks as he let himself be taken away. She continued to drag him through the crowd until they reached the outskirts of the gathered students where Momo was sitting in the grass.
"What's wron-" He almost asked but stopped when he saw Momo's hands trembling and the distant look in her eye.
"She was doing fine until your Quirk fucked with her emotions," Kyoka said through gritted teeth.
He hadn't considered the possibility of Empathy triggering panic attacks.
He didn't like influencing people's emotions unless it was for combat or an emergency but this counted as an emergency in his book and it was his fault.
Izuku kneeled next to Momo as he channeled calm confidence into the ravenette. He watched as her ragged breathing evened out and her hands stopped trembling.
"I'm sorry," He said, turning to look both Momo and Kyoka in the eye.
"Kyo, I told you not to blame him," Momo said.
Kyoka's rage-filled expression softened as she opened her mouth to speak but Izuku beat her to it.
"It was my fault. I should have corrected the negative emotions at the end of the fight, it won't happen again," Izuku said.
"So you'll still use it?" Kyoka asked, not accused.
"Please don't handicap yourself just because I'm incapable," Momo pleaded.
"Momo…" Kyoka said softly.
"I'm not handicapping myself by being more careful with Empathy and you're not incapable, far from it in fact," Izuku stated, affection from both women scenting the air.
XXX
After a short break to rest, get water, and replace damaged uniforms the remaining participants met back on the field where Midnight strutted back on to the stage as the wheel of activities spun. Looking around it seemed like everyone from the hero courses made the cut, the only two people that weren't in the hero program were a familiar small boy with grape-like hair and a stocky boy with a rock-like face.
"The next round will be…Capture the Flag! Each flag will be worth the combined point value of its team!" She yelled before the screen changed to show the rankings from the last event and each person's point value for this event.
Second place was Rumi and was worth 195 points, Mei was third with 190, Himiko was fourth with 185, each subsequent place worth ten less points. Made sense. He was in first like he had thought so he should have 200 points.
SO WHY WAS HE WORTH WORTH TEN MILLION?
"Heavy lies the head that wears the crown~" Midnight purred.