What was supposed to be a fun, but intense game of cavalry, became something akin to a fight for survival. Few made it out without scratches. One of those being Sung, who made it out with over ten million points. It was the perfect strategy, he flew high and watched as his strongest commanders battled with the rest of the teams without mercy. The stronger opponents lost and gained points constantly as the shadows were blown away and regenerated over and over again.

If nothing else, it was a spectacle to watch the top students attempt to fight each other and the shadows at the same time, while others sticked to the sidelines and took advantage of Jin-woo's soldiers taking the attention. However, they couldn't do all the work. Getting the 10 million from Todoroki, who had taken it from Bakugo wasn't easy for the shadows. And so…

"You wanted to talk?"

"Back then, when you finally came down onto the field."

The events flashed in his mind, like trying to remember a nightmare. Walled off from the rest of the class with thick ice, he looked up, and saw the now much lower Jin-woo, eyes now glowing blue. Then he felt his neck grow tight, and soon the headband which lay around his throat tugged hard until it lifted him up, struggling to get a finger or more within the loop, he subconsciously ignited his flame, and used it to blast Jin-woo just enough to interrupt his telekinetic attack. Though he didn't realize he singed the back of the band just enough, that it came right off his body, and into the hands of the airborne student above him.

"You overwhelmed me. Enough that you made me use my left side. Enough to break my pledge. The others on my team, they didn't feel it like I did. I watched your battle with the Nomou closer than the others. I saw what you can do. What that man's quirk didn't do. And All Mights interest in you that goes beyond being a teacher."

"So what are you saying?"

"Just who are you? You can't be just a normal student here. Are you some sort of spy from Korea's hero public safety committee?"

"A...spy?"

'Not sure that's where I was expecting him to go with that…'

"No, i'm not a spy from Korea. As for All Might, well uh…"

"So you do have some sort of special connection with him."

"..."

"You know, my father is Endeavor. The second greatest hero in Japanese history. If you have ties to All Might, the number one, it just makes it all the more fitting that I destroy you."

"So what, you're trying to impress your dad or something?"

"...Not quite. My dad, he's strong, but he's a narrow sighted bastard who only cares about getting stronger. But All Might was the one man he couldn't beat. So he had his ways. Have you ever heard of quirk marriages?"

"No, I haven't."

"People would marry and have kids all for the sole purpose of having kids with strong quirks. My father used his ties and wealth to make my mothers family marry her off to him. Just so he could have her quirk."

'Not too different from my world. Ranks would very rarely ever marry below them. They theorized it led to weaker children.'

"I was raised for the sole purpose of serving his ambitions, I hate it! I'm just a means to and end in his eyes. I don't even have any happy memories of my mother, but I do remember what she said to me before she poured boiling water on me, that my left side looked unsightly."

Jin-woo's eyes narrowed. He started to really understand the gravity of Todoroki's life.

"My pledge to never use my left side, it was my own form of revenge. By becoming the best without his quirk, i'll deny him everything."

It was a different world, from a social standpoint. Despite all the death and destruction and tragedy he witnessed, he knew he had a loving family back home. Even if his father was gone...again, he had his closure already. He was loved and cared for. But Todoroki, he had nothing. No one. But in the end that didn't mean a damn thing.

"Whoever you are, whatever your connection with All Might, keep it to yourself if you want. I'll surpass you with just my right side."

"I understand you have a lot to fight for, but you couldn't possibly imagine the thing's ive been through to get here. Looking back at how I was, before...everything. I've come a long way Shouto."

"So have I."

"Alright everyone! It's time for the final event of the sports festival, you might have been expecting it, that's right, one on one duals! Fight your way to the top spot tournament style!"

'Single combat. I have this in the bag'

"The matches will be decided by lots, once decided we'll move to festivities then start the tournament! Participation in the games are optional of course. So let's start with the first team!"

Jin-woo watched with interest as a whole debacle went down. Two participants dropped out and were replaced. All of it surrounding that purple haired weirdo from before. The one who declared war on their class.

'I didn't focus on him during the cavalry match, I barely even noticed him. Guess I should start paying more attention to him'

"And here are the matchups!"

'Or not.'

His first matchup was against that very same Shinso.

"So, Jin-woo huh, you're quite the spectacle aren't you?"

"W-"

"Sung! Will you come here for a moment?"

"You've been through hell to get here! But now it's time for the tournament! You can only rely on yourself right now, you might not be a hero yet, but that saying holds true! Show us what you got!"

Jin-woo waited in the small hallway leading to the final stage. He wondered if he would regret not letting Ojiro give him tips, but that was something he'd decide later. After being pulled aside, he tried to talk to him about Shinso's quirk, but in his head that would ruin the surprise. He had absolutely no idea what this guys quirk did, and yet he made it to the end. So he can't be all bad.

"Oi!"

"All Might."

"You're really making waves with the pros out there! Seems like you're the hot button topic now."

"Haha, yeah. I'm kinda used to that."

"Hm? Are you?"

"Uhh, yeah. You know, junior high and all that."

"Oh yes of course. Well, I know it probably would kill you to smile, but in these battles, nearly all the attention will be on you in a way that's deeper than before. So this is your chance to connect with everyone if you feel you haven't done so yet."

'My chance to connect'

He opened his eyes, and across from him was the purple haired Shinso. Fire burned in pits around them, but he couldn't even hear their crackle under the booming shouts of the thousands in attendance.

"THE FIRST MATCH! Kicking us off with the absolute dominator of the sports festival, the terrifyingly edgy necromancer of death, it's Sung Jin-woo from the hero course! VERSUS! Uh, sorry but this guys hasn't done much but it's Hitoshi Shinso!

The rules are simple, you win by knockout, throwing them out of the ring, or getting your opponent to say 'I give up!' go ahead and fight as hard as you want, recovery girl is on standby!"

"Hear that Sung? This whole thing is a test of will."

"LETS GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD, 3, 2 ,1"

"If you have any kind of drive and vision for your future, you can't worry about how you achieve that vision. Unlike that monkey over there babbling about his pride."

'I can't tell if i'm inclined to agree or not'

"LET'S GET STAAAARTED!"

"What kind of dumbass throws away an opportunity like this?"

"Whatever his reasons were, it-"

…

"I win."

"Dammit! I tried to tell him!"

"Turn around and walk outside the ring."

"WOOOOAAAAH! THE FORMERLY OVERWHELMING JIN-WOO IS NOW OBEYING SHINSOS COMMANDS LIKE A ROBOT!"

The crowd, which began in confused silence at his unmoving body now roared as they watched the favorite to win, begin to walk towards his own demise. Shocked that this general studies student might actually take the victory.

"Come on Sung fight it!"

"Yeah you got this!"

Even his class mates began to shout, in some vein hope of being heard, but every step closer to the edge drowned out their support in a growing hopelessness.

"It must be nice to have had everything handed to you on a silver platter, Sung. As for me, well. It might not look it, but this quirk of mine can be a dream too. You lose."

Jin-woo raised his foot over the grass, and slowly inched it lower until-

"Nah, just kidding."

"What!? How are you moving, you shouldn't have control."

"I could tell you but its a long story."

'No! It's not possible, it didn't trigger that time either!'

Up in the stands even Ojiro was scratching his head.

"But how? It's based on verbal response, but Jin-woo is conversing with him just fine."

"A long story?"

"I'll let you in on a little secret, from the moment I responded at all I already felt you trying to brainwash me. So I played along to see what you were gonna do. But you see, I'm immune to all status effects. Whether it's my body or my mind, it won't work."

"Heh. I should have known it would have come down to this. I'm jealous. To have all that power."

'I once felt the same as you'

"Thanks to my quirk, they wouldn't let me in. You wouldn't understand, you were naturally blessed."

'I do understand. I did get lucky but…'

"You people and your awesome quirks, getting to follow and chase your dreams! While I have to do nothing but watch!"

Jin-woo's mind flashed to a time that feels like a really old bad dream he would have. But it was very real. A time he was referred to as the weakest soldier, just to make fun of him using the Jong-ins name 'The Ultimate Soldier'. He remembers how it would feel to have your own dungeon party feel happy to see you, because they knew you being there meant the dungeon would be easy. He knows how it feels to see those at the top getting to live the life he always wanted.

As Shinso raved, he thought about any possible way to win, but there was none. When he looked at Sung, it was an unclimbable wall. With no physical or mental weaknesses he could exploit with a quirk like his, he had no choice.

"I give up."

"!"

"OOOH Shinso sees no way out and gives up! Jin-woo moves ahead!"

The crowd divided themselves on this rather uneventful boring match.

"Aww come on, he couldn't have at least tried to fight him?"

"No, a smart hero knows when to fold em'. Fighting a losing battle is reckless."

"I agree, this was the smartest decision to make given the circumstances."

"What if he was protecting someone? You have to fight to the end!"

Back at the stage, They stood across from each other as they gave a last applause.

Sung thought about trying to give him some words but decided against it. It was a hard world after all, not like there was anything he could do for him.

"Hey Shinso you were awesome!"

"Huh?"

"Man we saw you playing the hero course students for fools during the cavalry battle!"

"Yeah! You would have beaten any other guy up there! Just listen to what the pros are saying!"

Focusing on his genius use of his quirk in the first two events, and ability to remain off radar through the festival, were commended by many of the pro heroes.

"Sung. You may win this time. But just you guys watch, I'll come back and I'll be a greater hero than any of you!"

"Yeah."

Jin-woo shadow swapped out of the area, finding himself a spot on a couch in a comfortable apartment, next to a rather surprised and shocked younger sister and mother.

With little delay the festival moved on, and Todoroki was next. He hoped that it would have been a quick and uneventful in and out so he could go back to meditating. But he just had to be there.

"Get out of my way."

"You disgrace me, and yourself Shouto. You let this Korean come and overshadow you. You once thought that you could do it all with just your right side but what are you going to do now that you hit your limit? Grow up you impudent brat, your purpose is to surpass All Might, understand!?"

"Is that all you have to say? I told you already, I'll win with moms power alone."

"Maybe that would have worked in a lesser school. But I can already see it, you won't beat that Korean without my power."

Jin-woo came back to the couch with some popcorn, much to the enjoyment of his little Jin-ah. He hadn't been spending enough time with her recently with school and everything. He really did miss the times they had when they were about this age.

"Oppa! Look the next match is starting!"

"Oh yeah, I'll have to fight whoever wins this one. I wonder whoever that could possibly be" he stated in a jokingly sarcastic manner as he poked at Jin-ah's face with popcorn.

"Is it okay for you to be here?"

"Relax mom, they won't even know I'm gone, hey it's beginning."

What started as him watching leisurely with his family very quickly became far more serious, as he watched his next opponent shatter the very sky with an icy mountain that made the entire sports festival stadium look tiny in comparison.

"Oppa?" She saw his face go scary looking as he heightened his focus.

'He hasn't shown anything like that up till now. Even an S rank mage would have trouble creating that much ice in an instant like that. If that's a sign of even greater power he has hidden in store, I'll have to go with everything I got'

The next few matches were pretty interesting. He especially watched a bit closer to the battle between his old friend and Uraraka. She had far more tenacity than he ever realized, and managed to nearly gain the advantage, until Bakugo let loose an explosion that darkened the sky itself in smoke.

It wasn't just Todoroki, there was another he needed to watch out for, as Bakugo too, would fight him with everything he had.

"Alright, I'm going back."

"Good luck!"

"Be safe, please. And win!"

"Right."

Shadow Swapping out and into the inner rooms of the stadium. He overheard a phone call Uraraka was having. It sounded like,

'Should I comfort her? On second thought I'm pretty bad at that. I'll just have to remember to say something nice later'

"Hey."

He was caught off guard, broken from his thoughts by the bulky mountain of fire and muscle that was Todoroki's old man.

"Endeavor."

'I can sense it, his power is on another level than most of the pros here, but nowhere near All Might, I wonder if I could take him'

"There you are, I was looking for you."

"What do you want?"

"Your quirk, it's one of the most powerful I've ever seen. Enhanced physical strength, telekinesis, conjuration, and don't think I didn't catch that teleportation back then."

"So what?"

"I might even say it's on All Might's level, when you factor in the versatility. My son, Shouto, it's his duty to surpass All Might. So his match against you, will be just the test he needs. So I ask this, I want you to push him. Give it your all and he'll have no choice but to give up his little resistance. You want it too, don't you?"

"Heh. Read me that easily huh?"

"I know your type, you want a challenge. A good fight. Get him to use my power, and you'll have the challenge you're looking for."

'I feel like I'm making a deal with the devil. But he's not wrong, the sensation I had when fighting that Nomou. To give it my all against an actually dangerous opponent, it's been far too long'

And it was standing across from him, on the biggest stage in Japan, with their part of the world watching.

"You ready?" Todoroki asked with a scowl stuck on his face.

"Always."

"Both of these competitors have constantly been in the top three of the festival so far! But there can only be room for one of these powerhouses on this stage! It's JIN-WOO VERSUS TODOROKI! STAAAAAAAAAAAAAART!"