Izuku and Luna stood across from Shoto inside the empty student entrance corridor as they were expecting him to talk by now. The real reason why Shoto brought both Luna and Izuku was clearly unknown to them.
"The cafeteria's probably gonna fill up soon. We should get going." Midoriya said.
Shoto continued to stare at Izuku and Luna with his cold intimidation as he completely ignored Izuku's words.
"Listen, Todoroki. You brought us here to talk." Luna spoke impatiently. "If you're not gonna say anything, then we're leaving."
"I was overwhelmed, and it made me break the promise I made to myself a long time ago." Shoto spoke. He looked down at his hand with concern. "Iida, Kaminari, Yaoyorozu, Tokoyami, Uraraka, Selene, Diana, and Aisha. None of them felt it, but in that moment, I could sense your true power. It reminded me of something: experiencing All Might's Quirk. I'm saying the power coming from you two felt the same as All Might's."
Izuku and Luna looked at Shoto with shock faces as if they believed that Shoto is really onto them about Izuku's involvement with One For All and Luna's familial connection with the number one hero.
"Midoriya, Luna, tell me. Are you two really All Might and Tarot Chariot's secret love children or something?" Todoroki asked nonchalantly.
Todoroki's accusation made both Luna and Izuku's face completely astonished with a side of utter confusion.
Are we…WHAT? Izuku and Luna thought in utter confusion.
Ok, I can see why he'd think that, as insane as it sounds. Izuku thought with a somewhat relived smile.
He may get that accusation wrong on Midoriya, but he definitely got that right on me. Luna thought with a raised eyebrow. But can I trust him though? Not only Bakugo has been on my case about the Divine Trinity, but I knew Todoroki would be too.
"Well, are you?" Todoroki asked again.
"No wait, that's not it at all!" Midoriya replied frantically as he shook his hand violently to deny Shoto's suspicion as quickly as possible. "But even if I was, I'd probably say I wasn't, so you probably wouldn't believe me no matter what I said! Anyway, I promise, you've got the wrong idea."
"Oh, I see." Shoto said. His eyes moved to Luna. "And you?"
Before Luna could open her mouth, her brain intakes began to kick in as if it was warning her that someone is secretly listening to their conservation from a distance at an accelerated rate. She placed her right hand behind her back and took out her mother's magic card in between her fingers, sending it to fly away without being detected from Izuku and Shoto.
"Same here. I'm not All Might and Tarot Chariot's secret child either." Luna responded. "But why would you even think that about us?"
"That's not it at all is interesting. It suggests that there is something between you three that you're not supposed to talk about." Todoroki stated. "My father is the hero Endeavor. You two must have heard of him, which means you're aware that he's the number two hero. So, if you two are connected to All Might in some way, that would mean, I would have even more reason to beat the both of you."
Izuku and Luna blinked astonishingly at Shoto's resolve.
Meanwhile, the three Pro-Heroes meet together face-to-face on a set of stairs.
"Yo, long time no see. Let's catch up, Endeavor." All Might greeted.
"All Might." Endeavor sneered with a glare.
"I haven't talked to you since that press conference ten years ago! Been a while! So, I saw you and figured I'd say hi!" All Might said.
"Did you now? If that's all you have to say, we're done." Endeavor said harshly. He started walking away with a mumble. "Chatting it up like we're old friends. What a joke."
Endeavor walked away to ignore All Might and Tarot Chariot, but All Might jumped right in front of him with a heroic laugh.
"Why the cold shoulder? You should be thrilled. After all, your son's doing very well out there, just using half his power. You must be a great teacher." Tarot Chariot complimented.
"I want to learn your secrets. How do we train the next generation of heroes?" All Might asked.
But once again, Endeavor refused to give any tips to his longtime rival.
"Do you really think I'd tell you anything I taught the boy? You're all flash and no brains as usual." Endeavor spat. He then let out a heartless smile. "Let me assure you of one thing, All Might. That kid of mine will beat you someday. He's in a rebellious phase right now, but he will take your place. I'll make sure of it. That's why I made him." He then moved his attention to Tarot Chariot. "I don't know how you can marry a fool like him, Chariot."
"You have no right telling me that, Endeavor!" Tarot Chariot berated. "I married All Might for his courage and pure heart he puts out through the world! He's not some heartless bastard like you!"
Endeavor narrowed his eyes with a glare and strolled away in silence.
Back in the empty student entrance corridor, Shoto began explaining his traumatizing backstory to Izuku and Luna.
"My old man is ambitious. He aims for the top. He used his power to make a name for himself as a hero, but he was never able to beat All Might, so the symbol of peace is living proof of his failure." Shoto continued.
"What are you trying to tell us, Todoroki?" Izuku asked confusingly.
"Have you two ever heard of...Quirk marriages?" Shoto asked.
Izuku and Luna exchanged looks as they both have an idea on where Shoto was going with this.
"They became a problem in the first few generations after superpowers became widespread." Shoto explained. "There were those who sought out mates solely with the intention of creating powerful children. Many people were forced into relationships. Clearly, it was unethical. My father not only has a rich history of accomplishments, but plenty of money to throw at his problems. He bought my mother's relatives to get his hands on her Quirk, and now he's raising me to usurp All Might. It's so annoying. I refuse to be a tool for that scumbag! In every memory of my mother, I only see her crying." He slowly placed his hand on his scar. "I remember she called my left side unbearable...before she poured boiling water on my face."
Izuku and Luna both gasped in shock as if they never thought that someone like Endeavor can be so cruel towards his own wife and son like that.
"The reason I picked a fight with you was to show my old man what I was capable of doing without having to rely on his damn fire Quirk." Todoroki said with a determined glare as he raised his left hand down. "So, you see, I'm going to show him that I reject his power, and I can take first place without using it."
Unbeknownst to the three UA students, Katsuki was eavesdropping. He overheard the whole conversation from behind a wall with a seemingly surprised expression. But he wasn't aware that a magic card was spying on him from the ceiling above.
"Listen, Todoroki, I'm sorry about your past, but may I ask you something?" Luna asked. "It's about Aisha. During your declaration in the waiting room right before the festival started, I have a feeling you two might know each other."
"We do. We were childhood friends." Shoto replied. "Her mom and my mom were best friends throughout their whole lives. Ever since we both enrolled into this school, Aisha has changed after all these years and refused to talk to me, so I was hoping the Sports Festival will give me the opportunity to figure out why. But don't worry, I won't seek answers from you. I'll seek the answers I want from Aisha by any means necessary. You two are obviously connected to All Might, even if you won't tell me about it. But know this: I will defeat both of you using only my right side. I can assure you of that."
With that, Todoroki walked away from the hallway.
Luna and Izuku couldn't believe how Shoto's life was so much different than theirs and yet they all aimed for the same thing. As Izuku's mind fixated on Shoto, Luna's mind instantly focused on how devastating Aisha would feel if she knew Shoto's backstory.
"Wait!" Izuku shouted as he and Luna ran out of the hallway to stop Shoto for a moment. "I'm only here because others have supported me. I can't lose this either. I owe it to everyone who's supported me to try my best. You declared war on me and Luna earlier." He clenched his fist and showed a determined look on his face. "Well, right back at you. I am going to beat you!"
"Same here, even if I won't get that chance." Luna agreed with a determined grin. "But let's not forget you also declared war on Aisha too. Not only I will be rooting for her to beat you, but I hope you two can settle your problems for a bright future as heroes you two wanted to be."
Shoto stated at Izuku and Luna with an impassive glance and kept walking away without any response.
Once Katsuki started walking away, the magic card soared outside the student entrance corridor. Luna turned around to notice the magic card while looking back to keep Izuku from being unaware about it. The magic card landed and sank onto Luna's fingers that allowed her to see what it records, but only for her to feel completely shock on who was the eavesdropper.
What?! Bakugo was eavesdropping our private conservation?! Luna thought in sheer shock. But then again, it was a close call. He could've learned about me being All Might's daughter. She narrowed her eyes with determination. He wants to keep an eye on me? Now, it's my turn to keep a close eye on him.
As Shoto was walking back to the stadium, he suddenly heard a soft childlike giggle echoingly throughout the trees. He turned his head to see Amora holding a small pink camellia flower in her hand. Without a doubt, Shoto's eyes immediately widened in an utter mix of shock and surprise as he realized that the little girl has the exact resemblance as Aisha.
"She looks exactly like Aisha." Shoto muttered. "How's…that even possible?"
Shoto instantly marched forward to confront Amora, who turned to face him with wide, frightening eyes.
"Shoto…?" Amora spoke.
"It's okay. I'm only here to talk." Shoto said.
Amora dropped the flower and whirled into a panicked run.
"Wait!" Shoto shouted.
Shoto started running after Amora.
"I'm not going to hurt you!" Shoto yelled.
Amora ignored Shoto and continued running through the forest. Just as Shoto was close to catch up to her, Amora immediately phased intangibly through the ground in her ghostly body.
"Where did she go?" Shoto wondered as he looked around for Amora.
An hour had passed and all the competitors were making their way back into the arena and the spectators would taking their seats.
"Now it's almost time for the finals! The sixteen who made it will compete in a series of one-on-one matches!" Present Mic exclaimed.
Everyone was looking at the bracket for the tournament, now it all came down to combat. Some of might even have to fight against their teammates in the Cavalry Battle, not to mention at battle against people with different abilities.
"Yes! It's a tournament!" Diana smiled excitedly. "Finally, we get the chance to show the world what we're really made of! I always watched these finals every year and now I'm in it!"
"But did it have a tournament last year?" Luna asked.
"Well, yeah, the system changes a bit each year, but typically the Sports Festival will always have similar one-on-one competitions." Diana answered.
"All right, now I'll determine who fights whom through this lottery." Midnight instructed as she was holding a lottery box in her hands. "Once the match ups 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 the recreational activities or not is up to each of you. Since I'm sure many of you will be wanting to take a breather or preserve your strength. So, started from the team that placed 1st, let's determine the order..."
"Excuse me? Sorry, but I'm withdrawing." Ojiro spoke as he unexpectedly raised his hand up in the air.
All the students and the audience looked at Ojiro with absolute shock and surprise.
"Mashirao, are you sure?" Izuku asked.
"But this is a rare chance for you to get scouted." Iida pointed out.
"He's right. This festival is a place where you can show off to the pros with the best of your abilities!" Diana countered.
"It just wouldn't be right. I barely remember anything from the Cavalry Battle until the very end." Ojiro said. He then looked at Shinso. "I think it was that guy's Quirk."
Luna looked at Shinso with a suspicious look on her face.
"I know this is a rare opportunity, but everyone else worked hard to get here, and I was just someone's puppet. I couldn't move forward without knowing how I got here. It wouldn't be fair." Ojiro continued with a frown.
"But, Mashirao, just think about this." Luna said.
"I have, okay?" Ojiro said strongly. "Everyone gave it their all in round two, but I was nothing more than a puppet. No way, I do not want to advance if I don't even know how I got here. It wouldn't be fair."
"You're making too much of this! Just kill it in the finals and prove you should be here!" Hagakure encouraged.
"I didn't do much in the battle either." Ashido said.
"That's not it. I'm talking about my pride here. I refuse to give that up. Also, why are all the girls dressed like cheerleaders?" Ojiro asked with a facepalm.
All Class 1-A girls, except for Luna, Aisha, Diana, and Selene, sweatdropped at Ojiro's question.
Glad we didn't get tricked. Luna, Aisha, Diana, and Selene thought with sweatdrops.
Then suddenly, Shouda Nirengeki from Class 1-B stood forward.
"Shoda, from Class 1-B. I think I should withdraw for the exact same reason, regardless of how strong I am. It would be going against the values of the festival if I advanced without knowing how I got here." Shoda spoke as he clenched his fist.
"Listen to these guys! They're so manly!" Kirishima cried.
"This sort of talk is incredibly naive, my boys! That turns me on! Shoda, Ojiro, you're withdrawn!" Midnight exclaimed with a blush as she shaking her whip in the air. "Now then, who will fill in their spots? I'll choose from the 5th place team."
"We were frozen most of the time. You should choose from the team that kept fighting the whole time, team Tetsutetsu." Kendo said.
Tetsutetsu and his team were surprised with Kendo's decision.
"Kendo?" Tetsutetsu questioned.
"I'm not doing this as a favor. It's just fair." Kendo smiled.
"Oh, you guys. THANK YOOOOOU!" Tetsutetsu cried.
"Tetsutetsu have advanced to the finals." Midnight announced. "And now it is time to see who will be facing who."
All the students began looking up at the large screen that showed all of the selective match-ups for the first bracket:
Izuku Midoriya vs. Hitoshi Shinso
Shoto Todoroki vs. Hanta Sero
Ibara Shiozaki vs. Denki Kaminari
Tenya Iida vs. Mei Hatsume
Mina Ashido vs. Yuga Aoyama
Fumikage Tokoyami vs. Momo Yaoyorozu
Eijiro Kirishima vs. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
Katsuki Bakugo vs. Diana Asaka
Selene Hoshi vs. Ochaco Uraraka
Luna Yagi vs. Aisha Rozu
"Seriously? How does this keep happening?!" Kirishima and Tetsutetsu asked annoyingly in unison.
"I promise I will give it my all, Selene." Uraraka said to Selene.
"It'll be an honor, Uraraka." Selene said respectfully.
"So, I'm up against Diana. This victory will be mine for the taking." Katsuki said with a smirk.
"Don't bet on it, hothead." Diana smirked back.
"Hey, Aisha, may the best student win." Luna said with a grin.
"Same with you." Aisha nodded.
Shoto stared at the brackets deep in thought and then gazed at Luna, Aisha, and Izuku as he was hoping that either one of the three students will advance so he can defeat one of them himself.
"Now let's get to the side games! First, a scavenger hunt!" Midnight said.
All the students had received cards and began to look first items on the cards by asking people from the stands as their own choice to have fun and gain strength, but some students made their decision to conserve their stamina or work up a strategy for their first match. Aisha chose to meditate in the forest with Tokoyami and Selene while Diana and Luna were stretching in preparation.
After the scavenger hunt game was done, Cementoss already finished building the fighting arena and the first one-on-one match was ready to begin. The entire crowd instantly began cheering excitedly for the first battle.
"It's finally time! Thank you, Cementoss!" Present Mic exclaimed. "We've got Recovery Girl on standby so don't be afraid to get rough! But don't kill, it's not allowed!"
Izuku was walking through the hallway on his way to the arena until All Might and Luna managed to track him down.
"Sorry, I haven't seen you. You're doing a great job so far. You've harnessed One For All." All Might said.
"No. I've tried imagining the egg in the microwave or how it felt to hit that villain, but I'm still not in control." Izuku said with a frown.
"Yeah, if I had to guess how much of One For All you'd be able to use at this point, I'd say my closest guess would be about 5%." All Might said.
"What, only 5%? Oh, well, I guess I've only been getting by because of luck and my friends helping me out." Izuku said as he lowered his head.
"All I want you to say is you'll do your best, damn it! There's no such thing as luck! And remember, if you find yourself in trouble, just try dealing with it by smiling! And remember that we're counting on you!" All Might encouraged as he gave him a thumbs up.
"Dad's right, Midoriya. You're amazing just how you are." Luna agreed. She quickly wrapped her arms around Izuku for a tight hug. "You made it this far because of your own efforts. So, good luck and win this battle."
Izuku was taken by Luna's hug with a faint blush, but he eventually felt inspired and hugged her back.
"I will." Izuku said with a smile.
With that, Izuku and Shinso walked out towards the stage at the same time from opposite directions.
"He looks kind of scared in that photo, doesn't he? He was an early front runner! From the hero course, Izuku Midoriya!" Present Mic yelled. "And this guy hasn't done anything to stand out! From general studies, Hitoshi Shinso!"
Luna ran just in time to sit next to Diana on the Class 1-A, so she won't miss the chance to watch the fight. Except neither Izuku and Shinso made a move. Shinso just started talking to Midoriya instead.
"That monkey was going on about his pride earlier. But I just think he's an idiot for throwing away his chance like that." Shinso said tauntingly.
"Don't you talk about him that way!" Izuku growled.
Before Izuku could charge forward, he unexpectedly froze from where he was standing. The crowd and Class 1-A students watched in horror as Izuku became immobile in the middle of the ring.
"That's it. I win." Shinso declared with a satisfied smirk.
"What's this?! The match has just started, and Midoriya is completely frozen!" Present Mic exclaimed.