Hero La Kill Ch. 44: Natural Selection

Written by Aduubo and Buckichamp

Edited by Aduubo, Buckichamp, and PKSpartan.

I OWN NOTHING. KILL LA KILL IS OWNED BY STUDIO TRIGGER AND KAZUKI NAKASHIMA. MHA IS OWNED BY TOHO ANIMATION AND KOHEI HORIKOSHI.

Author's Note: A brief warning, this chapter contains a graphically violent scene that may trigger some readers. Please read with caution.

Also, we're sorry for not properly communicating the delay in publishing this chapter and worrying everyone. Some things came up and it pushed our hiatus a little longer. We'll try to get the next chapter out in the next three-to-four weeks, and hopefully re-establish a schedule after that. There's been a lot we've had to do. Again, our apologies.

~The HLK Team~

-Saturday, 7:30 a.m.; Two-Star hotel: Dining Hall-

Ichiro had just filled his entire plate with a bunch of food, a lot more than his peers would recommend. He was feeling a bit antsy and opted to grab whatever he could, as it gave him some idea of control.

The teen stepped out of the line and was left staring amongst everyone in the cafeteria. There were two different groups of Class 1A, and they were separated by gender. Ichiro's eyes were darting back and forth as he struggled to choose who he wanted to sit with. He was still shaken up about the near catastrophe that he managed to avoid the evening before.

..~~~HLK~~~..

-Previous night; Ball and Gala-

"I've got to go take care of something," Tanaka said as he walked briskly past the UA group with a friendly wave.

"I'll be back in a few minutes!"

The model made a beeline through the crowd, seamlessly maneuvering his way to a certain girl hopping around the entrance to the facility.

Not wanting to make too much of a scene, he quickly grabbed them by the hand and moved outside before anyone could notice.

"What the hell, Ichi?!" Nui expressed her surprise as Ichiro dragged her further and further towards some nearby trees where they could be momentarily hidden.

He quickly moved her up against one of the leafy green's bark, drawing his specialized Life Fiber hardened blade. He always had it discreetly holstered to his right hip in case of an emergency. After all, some of his fans could be… not so sincere with their intentions.

"I explicitly requested Hōōmaru to keep you at REVOCs. Why are you here, Nui?" Tanaka asked, his tone measured. He didn't want to let his emotions spill over.

Nui let out a sigh, disappointed that she had to answer his silly question. He could be such a pain.

"I want to know more about the Kamui girl, of course!" she giggled, as Tanaka let out a low growl.

Harime saw she was getting under his skin, a smug grin appearing as there was an opportunity here.

"Ya know," Harime drew her words out and walked toward the blade, putting her right pointer finger on the tip. "You might share the same blood as me, baby brother. But you will never beat me."

Ichiro grunted as he tried to hold firm.

"I'm trying to live the life of a normal person –or as much as one can be as a fashion model– without being outed as a Life Fiber creation. Everywhere you go, you cause problems. Just like in Tokyo."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Nui asked with a devilish grin. "Are you actually going to take me out? Make me pay for sneaking around and disobeying orders?"

The girl in pink waltzed over to the boy's right side and stood on her tip-toes to whisper in his ear.

"Go ahead. Kill me," she goaded him as his arm began to tremble slightly, her tone of voice becoming more and more sharp with each spoken word. "I want to see you try and make me stand down. I've always been stronger, but now's your chance to actually prove me wrong, Ichiro."

The twisted blonde quickly grabbed Ichiro's hand with an iron grip, forcefully pulling the long dagger up to her neck. He tried to fight back, but found his strength to be inferior to Nui's.

"Show me."

She then forced the sharp edge of the blade into her neck, blood spilling over it. All Tanaka could see was a manic smile on her face as she let go of his hands. All he needed to do now was slice left.

Tanaka tried to focus but he was scared, his breathing unsteady and hitching. Could he really hurt her at all?

"~We don't have all night, ya know!~" She cooed. "This is your last chance, Ichi."

The model squeezed his eyes shut, trying to do something. In the end, all he could do was gasp and backpedal a few steps as Nui started giggling.

"I knew it," she declared with a smirk before punching him in the gut.

Tanaka doubled over and coughed up some blood, trying to reclaim the air he lost.

"You're a fucking defect! You always have been," Nui took delight in pushing Ichiro back with a shove before slapping him to the ground, getting all up in his face.

"Look at you being ~Sooooo worried~ over some silly humans. If you can't even fight back against me, what good are you, huh? You're a pathetic, fucking defect and a weakling!"

"That's why you're out here, being the mouthpiece to reach those silly kids while I do all the grunt work. It's honestly sickening that all you do is tour around and smile with those imbeciles while Lady Ragyo asks me to do all of the important work."

"They're… they're not imbeciles, Nui! They're people," Tanaka choked out before she kicked him flat onto his back, which caused her to cackle a little, but not loud enough for the people to hear them.

"You can't do anything right. I'm surprised Lady Ragyo honestly puts up with everything you do," the girl rolled her eyes. "Why were you even born? We could have done everything without you."

Tears started to form in the corners of Tanaka's eyes and he tried to wipe them away just as quickly as they started, but it didn't stop a few sobs from escaping his lips.

'Dammit! She's right. I-I can't do anything!' he internalized, kicking himself for being so weak.

Harime sighed, knowing if she stayed out any longer, Ichiro would be the least of her concerns.

"Oh, relax!" Harime chided as she walked ahead of him again. "I was ordered by Lady Ragyo to return, but I had to see what kind of event you were having. Honestly, the curry was really good!"

"I'll leave you and your little ~friends~ alone… for now."

Tanaka's body froze with the menacing end to her speech, unsure if the partygoers were actually safe.

"But fair warning, I saw Satsuki's group on their way over as I was dropping by."

"What?" Tanaka sat up with a gasp. "Why would she be coming here?"

"That's what I wondered, too. Anyway, toodles!"

Without another word, the grand couturier took her leave and escaped through the forestry, leaving Tanaka with room to finally relax after the torture he was put through by his big sis.

..~~~HLK~~~..

Tanaka straightened himself up, not wanting to let that ruin the rest of his day. He was just an hour away from watching UA compete in Honnōji's Sudden Death Runoff. And he had a front row seat to the hero action!

Thinking he had gotten to know the girls enough, he decided to hang out with the guys. Ichiro shook his head and donned his usual friendly grin before approaching their table. He found an empty seat next to Midoriya and made his choice.

"Good morning, everyone. Is this seat taken?"

The table fell into silence once they all saw who joined them. Some of the guys were just surprised by his mere presence, while others felt ill will towards it. Izuku saw the seat that the model was requesting was empty and spoke up.

"No, it's not. Go ahead," he said calmly.

"Awesome," Ichiro responded with relief and set his food down.

So far, things carried on like normal, which was his cue to start eating. He was still hungry, regardless of what he was feeling earlier. While doing so, a few sets of eyes were set on him, watching him closely.

"Um, dude? What are you doing?" Eijiro asked Sero.

"Watching him like a hawk," the tape hero answered in a whisper.

"What? How come-"

"He could be planning something," Denki cut Kirishima off.

"I bet he's probably here to gather intel on us," Minoru said coldly as his eyes continued to bulge out.

"You gotta be kidding me…" Eijiro sighed.

It didn't take long before their obvious antics got the attention of their class rep. He carefully chewed the last of his food and wiped his lips with a napkin before tinting his glasses.

"Sero! Kaminari! Mineta! It is rude to stare while at the table!"

What was an attempt to sweep this under the rug, ended up garnering everyone's attention, as they all turned their eyes towards the boys.

"Hmm? Staring at what?" Ichiro asked.

"We've got our eye on you, pretty boy!" Sero pointed at him.

"You think you're so sneaky!" Denki accused.

"You're probably trying to figure out our weaknesses so that you can get the upper hand! Aren't ya?!" Minoru yelled at Tanaka dramatically.

Out of their view, Tanaka clenched his fist tightly before he blinked twice, registering what they might be implying.

"You're kidding, right? You do know that I'm not actually participating in the Sudden Death Runoff, right?" Ichiro exhaled tiredly.

The three boys fell face first on the table, flabbergasted by how he missed the point.

"Uhh, don't mind them, Tanaka. I think they're a bit tense from you even being here. Given that you're a model and all," Izuku stepped in to finally put the kibosh on the antics.

"Great, everyone's on my case today. Can't I just eat my breakfast in peace?" Tanaka whined softly into his palms before facing Izuku.

"Yeah, guess that's my bad. I should have tried to introduce myself here. My head hasn't been in the game this morning," Ichiro shook his head. "But you all know me as the host of last night's ball. I'm just like the rest of you guys, okay? So don't go around feeling threatened by my status."

"That's what they all say," Minoru said ever so menacingly, followed by more glares from the other two boys.

"Wait, threatened? What do you-"

Izuku placed his hand over Sero's mouth before things got ugly.

"Don't worry, Tanaka. I'm sure they'll come around, too. And, I'll do my best to keep them off your back," Izuku chuckled lightly.

"As will I, Tanaka. You've treated everyone here with respect. So we will do the same," Tenya added.

"Thanks, guys. I appreciate that," Ichiro laughed lightly. "And just call me Ichiro, by the way."

"Sure thing," Izuku said warmly.

"So I'm guessing you're sitting here cuz you want to get to know the guys, huh?" Sato asked.

"Yep. I figured since I've already met the girls, I'd take the time to get to know you all." Ichiro responded.

"As one shining model to another, I-"

"I'm Ejiro Kirishima," the red-head said, cutting Aoyama off. "And that guy over there is Bakugo. He's not much of the social type."

"Fumikage Tokayami," the teen nodded silently, with Tanaka catching his drift.

Bakugo scoffed, not wanting to get into a meet-and-greet.

"I remember Midoriya, Iida and Todorki from their performances during the Sports Festival," Tanaka noted before turning to Kaminari.

"And you, uhh, I forgot your name, so I apologize. But I couldn't forget seeing you move around the ring so fast. What was that?"

Kaminari leaned back, somewhat stunned about being put in the spotlight.

"Umm- uh, I'm Kaminari and I honestly have been trying to figure that whole thing out myself," he stuttered slightly.

"Dang," Tanaka dropped his chin onto his fist and looked away. "Well, hopefully you figure it out soon. It could be really useful in a fight."

"I know, right? He'd be running circles around everyone!" Izuku concurred.

"Mhm, yes," Tanaka tapped his fingers on the table.

"Not only could the force of his blows be magnified with short-burst speed, but he'd also be capable of rescue and evacuation support! There's a lot that Kaminari's quirk could be used for, Ichiro!"

"Huh? Y-Yes, that does sound impressive," Tanaka sunk into his shoulders, leaning away from Midoriya.

"Right! There's also his charging capabilities! Kaminari could generate his own internal reserves way faster over time. This could help with his discharge as well."

"Huh. Yeah," Ichiro's brows raised as he fixed his gaze on Izuku.

"By getting used to the constant growth and flow of electricity, he wouldn't have to worry about short-circuiting during a fight or rescue scenario! And to think, most people still look at his Quirk and think it's straight forward!"

"Yeah!" Ichiro's eyes sparkled as the rest of the boys were somewhat shocked. "One of the rare all-arounder Quirks that has multiple uses!"

The guys were slack jawed from Tanaka's sudden development.

"The firepower from the discharge alone while moving fast and being capable of area of effect attacks would be insane!" Ichiro raised his arms.

"Exactly! Why didn't I think of that before?! If he had the control, the Quirk could be nearly unstoppable!" Izuku centered his arms around his head and expanded them out.

All of the other boys only looked on with bug eyes, not sure what they were witnessing as Tanaka and Midoriya rambled like computers on steroids. But nearly all of them had the same thought as the two kept talking about Quirks.

'He's basically Midoriya's clone!'

"This is getting annoying," Bakugo grumbled and wrapped up his meal.

"They're talking so much about me! Kinda awesome in a way," Kaminari loved being the center of their discussion.

"Bro, someone's gotta stop them. Yo, Midoriya! Ichiro!" Sato shouted at them.

"Huh?" The two blinked and turned back to Kaminari and the group.

"Sorry about that!" They both apologized simultaneously before turning to one another and laughing.

Ichiro was elated. All of the bitterness he was feeling earlier was gone in an instant, and it was thanks to Midoriya. When he tried to pull away, Midoriya somehow found a way to keep pulling him back in.

"Talk about incredible timing," Tanaka giggled as the two were hamming it up.

"I know!" Midoriya tried to breathe and relax, yet couldn't. "By the way, jinx!"

"Huh? What does that mean?" Tanaka asked as he started to settle down.

"It means you owe me a soda," the greenette said with a cheeky grin.

'Since when did Midoriya know about jinxes?' Kaminari turned around to glance over at Matoi quickly. 'Never mind. I know now.'

"Look over there, Ryuko. It looks like Tanaka and Izuku are getting along," Senketsu brought up. Ryuko then looked over at the two as they talked.

"It's about time. I was wondering when they were going to start nerding out about Quirks," Ryuko chuckled. "But, I'm glad they're getting along. This could be really good for Izuku since he knows that Ichiro is Quirkless."

Ryuko made sure to whisper that last part.

"It'll give them something to bond over, and show Izuku that he wasn't alone," Senketsu added.

"Exactly. Plus, he'll know that his dreams are still obtainable," Ryuko said with a heartfelt smile. She didn't take her eyes off of Izuku though. Seeing him talking with others and being happy, she just couldn't get enough of it.

"Oooooh, looks like someone's still thinking about their dance partner~"

Ryuko's daydreaming was interrupted by a certain pink gremlin that was sitting next to her, peering real closely.

"Gah! What the hell, Ashido?!" she shouted as she was taken by surprise.

"Can't say I blame you. You looked like you had a lot of fun last night," Kyouka added to the mix.

"I-" Ryuko tried to speak up.

"You two looked so beautiful on the dance floor. Everything was just perfect," Momo offered her compliments.

"I know right?! That was soooo romantic!" Toru gushed out.

"I think everyone even stepped off the floor so that you two could have all the room," Tsuyu pointed out.

Ryuko was completely red in the face, and her cheeks were puffing up as she struggled to get her words out. Hot air then spewed out her ears before she crossed her arms, turning away.

"W-Whatever!"

"She's not denying it," Kyouka smirked.

While the girls were enthusiastic about the highlight of last night's ball, Ochako continued to eat without saying a word.

"As her classmates, I believe we should help give the push that she needs!" Momo suggested.

"What?! No- Nonono-"

"Are you guys still this chatty? Even at 8 a.m.?"

All of the students' voices dropped when that voice came through the dining space. That tired, low, and grumpy tone was all too familiar. Ichiro looked around him, confused as to why everyone stopped talking. He followed their eyes and found them all staring at their teacher, Shota Aizawa.

"Looks like he actually made it on time," Nemuri jested to Ishiyama.

"What's that supposed to mean? You think I can't make the time?" Shota shot a glare at Midnight.

Tenya was the first to come front and center to his teacher, with Momo following right behind him.

"Good morning, Mr. Aizawa! What are you doing out here in Honnō City?" Iida asked.

"Midnight and Cementoss told us that you guys were going to be participating in Honnōji's… thing. And Nezu, so charitably, bestowed the task of bringing all of your hero costumes on me," Aizawa sighed.

Ryuko looked away, hoping to remain inconspicuous since she was basically the reason why her classmates were even joining in.

"Finish whatever food you've got left. All of your costumes are on your ride over to Honnōji," Aizawa said before he turned to leave.

"You're not coming with us, Aizawa?" Cementoss asked him.

"Nope. This is my break since you guys are here. I'm not going to miss another second," Aizawa shook his head.

"Figured as much," Midnight giggled.

"Good luck, everyone. Remember the developments you made during your internships," Aizawa stopped right at the door and looked back at his students.

"Oh, and show them how we do things at UA."

Everyone's eyes lit up from the confidence that their teacher had in them. Without saying another word, they all nodded to show that they were listening. And with that, Aizawa left and took the closest cab out of there.

Both Tenya and Momo turned to face their classmates. They were all silent as this was still a lot to take in. The Class Rep and class deputy exchanged nods before Yaoyorozu spoke up.

"You all heard what Mr. Aizawa said. Let's give it our all and show Honnōji what we're made of!"

The class worked to finish their meals quickly before standing up in an instant. They were ready to get their hands dirty in Honnōji's Naturals Election.

Tanaka was getting more and more geeked out. He could barely contain his excitement.

'They're all so awesome! Man, I wish I could be around them all the time!' Tanaka daydreamed a bit.

"You know the drill! Please form a nice single-file on our way to the exit!" Tenya called out while pointing his arm towards the door.

Everyone gathered around accordingly like Iida asked, while still being eager for the upcoming competition. Izuku and Ryuko were among the last to join the line, bumping into one another by the shoulder.

"H-Hey, Ryuko!" Izuku greeted her.

"Hi, Izuku," Ryuko muttered out.

Both teens started blushing immediately, the tender dance they shared at the ball was still fresh in their minds. Just like many of the other times they got flustered, not another word came out of their mouths. However, Izuku didn't want it to be a repeat like before.

"I-I'm excited about competing in the fights," he spoke up.

"You are?" Ryuko asked him.

"Mhm! This is actually getting me riled up," Izuku's lips brightened up into a smile.

"I didn't think you'd be this excited. This was supposed to be a nice little vacation," Ryuko said.

"Yeah. But to be honest, ever since you came to UA, I wanted to test my strength against the Elite Four. And this is the perfect opportunity for it. That's why I'm so excited."

"Plus, I want to see what Satsuki thinks about how much stronger you've gotten," Izuku added with a slightly smug grin.

Ryuko couldn't argue with the level of enthusiasm that Izuku was beaming with. Then again, when was she ever able to?

"Heh, yeah. I can't wait to knock Satsuki off of her throne. She's going to be sorry for how she busted in on our fun," Ryuko grinned and balled her hand into a fist, wanting to bump it with Izuku's.

"R-Right! The ball," Izuku's cheeks glowed red once again. Ryuko's did the same. But soon after, Izuku curled his fingers and bumped his knuckles into hers.

"We'll show her. That's a promise," he said confidently.

"Yeah. We will," Ryuko returned the same sentiment.

Not long after, they stepped into the bus and were on their way to Honnōji Academy.

..~~~HLK~~~..

All the students of Class 1A dressed into their hero costumes and made their way towards the courtyard. Tanaka also tagged along with the class, not wanting to take a private chauffeur to the event. Ryuko and Mako knew the layout of the school the best and led everyone to their destination. Izuku walked next to Ryuko, just like always. In doing so, he would be the first UA student to set foot in the battleground of the Naturals Election.

The area before them was huge, it was almost as big as the Sports Festival's stadium. All of that weight, perched at the very top of the island. Honnōji was no joke when it came to standing tall like a mountain.

In the distance, they could see a large gathering of Honnōji students. They stood in the center of the courtyard, waiting for Satsuki's arrival.

"Hey look at that! Those must be the students of Honnōji. Man, everyone looks like ants here," Eijiro expressed.

"This place is ginormous! But, where's the stage? Is this anything like the Sports Festival?" Denki asked.

"Maybe we can ask these guys," Sero suggested and walked up to the crowd. "Yo! Is this where we're supposed to meet-"

Sero's hand was swatted away by the scholar he tried to speak with, being met with a glare.

"Get your fucking hands away from me, freak," the young man growled.

"Geez, who made you mad today? I was just asking if we're in the right place," Sero took a few steps back.

"You might as well get lost then. Unbelievable. Lady Satsuki letting in a bunch of outsiders."

"Excuse me! Is there a problem here?" Tenya quickly stood in between the two, pacifying the dispute.

The rest of the class followed, only to be welcomed by a large gray sea of menacing looks. Each one of the Honnōji Students' eyes tinged with disgust towards these neophytes. It was like how they were being watched by the other UA classes during the Sports Festival. Except this time, something more sinister lurked in these students' eyes.

"I don't think they like us very much," Ashido felt chills run down her spine.

"Man! First the other UA classes and now these guys?! Why don't people like us?" Sato groaned.

"You don't belong here. This is Honnōji territory. Not some playground for kids in costumes," another Honnōji student said. He stomped his way over towards Iida to back up his classmate.

"Hey, you better fucking lay off," Ryuko immediately stepped in and shoved him back. "These guys worked harder than you losers ever will. So don't fucking disrespect them. Besides, Satsuki is the one who invited us here. Get mad at her, not us."

"Yeah? And who's the one who got her attention?" Yet another scholar added to the argument. "Who's the one that got the easy privilege to participate while the rest of us have to fight tooth n' nail to be in it?"

"Yeah? I bet you dopes got it real hard when all you need to do is join a fancy club to survive this fascist school," Ryuko fired back immediately.

"You don't get it. Seven days in a row, we had to endure fighting, backstabbing, and hell. Just so we can get a chance to live a better life on this fucking island. You "heroes'' get to join in this like its some sort of game show."

Izuku had visible discomfort on his face. He knew that being Quirkless put immense pressure on people, but never to a degree like this. He was hated for not having a quirk. Now he was hated for having one. Life always found its ways to royally hurt him.

-CLICK-

But sulking would have to wait, as the queen now made an appearance. All of the Honnōji students stood front and center, facing where the light shined above. 1A stood idly before following their glances.

"STUDENTS OF HONNŌJI ACADEMY!" Satsuki's voice boomed out to the masses.

"For the past week, you fought long and hard. However, your fight has only just begun! WELCOME TO THE SUDDEN DEATH RUNOFF! Every battle over that time has been recorded. And now we know who the survivors are! Based on what happens today, I will determine who acquires three-star status!"

Manic smiles grew on all of the Honnōji students' faces as the power of a three-star Goku uniform was in their grasp. Soon the ground began to shake beneath them, stirring up the 1A students.

"Now what?!" Ryuko quickly pulled out her scissor blade and got into a stance.

"The ground's shaking!" Denki cried out.

A small mound formed before completely bursting under a few students' feet, carrying some of their class with them. Kaminari nearly lost his footing from the rising pillar. His first instinct was to grab on to one of the spikes.

"Kaminari!" Kyouka shouted.

"I-I'm okay!" the blonde assessed as he lifted his legs up and hugged the rest of the spike. Denki felt another student grab his sleeve, attempting to pull him off.

"Hey! Lay off!"

In one swift motion, Denki socked the sabotager in the face, which made him fall off the pillar.

"HOLD ON, BUDDY! I'M COMING!" Minoru screamed before he pulled balls from his scalp and scaled up the pillar faster than it was even rising. He kicked off some more students before reaching Kaminari.

"The five pillars are your next challenge! Fight your way to the top of one and be a front-runner in the election!" Satsuki said.

"The hell's going on?!" Katsuki looked around as more pillars appeared around them.

"Is this really how these elections go?!" Tsuyu wondered.

"No, she's just making this up as she goes!" Ryuko answered loudly.

"This is insane!" Tanaka exclaimed. He knew Satsuki could be extreme, but not to this degree. Though he really couldn't divulge much information without outing himself.

Satsuki spotted each member of the Elite Four, standing oh so proudly as they claimed a pillar of their own without any resistance.

"Well, well, well. The Elite Four lives up to their name," Satsuki praised her lieutenants.

"Did you expect any different?" Nonon said smugly.

Kiryuin chuckled as Jakuzure wasn't wrong.

"Students of UA high, I hope you're ready to bring your best. Because this is where we find out how much worth you all have."

Once again, the ground beneath everyone shook, but to a much higher degree. Class 1A huddled together as a precaution. Another platform rose from beneath them, much bigger than all the other ones. Izuku looked over the edge, trying to analyze what was going on. But all he could see was the bitter glances of various Honnōij students.

Many of them were covered in dirt and grime from trying to get up the pillar, only to end up failing miserably, while he and his classmates were all escorted on the center stage like VIPs. His chest further churned, as he felt guilty and somewhat responsible for destroying these people's dreams.

"Izuku, are you okay?"

Ochako reached out to him, seeing that he looked distressed. What she saw next was pain in Izuku's eyes as he turned around.

"No…" Midoriya's voice trembled, and his eyes appeared so zoned out that the black in his pupils were minuscule at best.

Ochako gasped inwardly, never before seeing such hopelessness in his gaze. With that, the sky slowly turned red. Already, she could feel the dread that surrounded them on this island.

The large stage beneath them came to a complete stop, being set in the center of the entire stadium. It was fitted with giant monitors and speakers to broadcast to everyone. The Natural Elections polling place stood before them all.

"A KING OF THE HILL FINAL BATTLE!" Satsuki exclaimed.

"Matoi. You and your classmates will fight the Elite Four. If you win, I will tell you the details of your father's death. Just like I promised."

"You're on!" Ryuko barked at her.

"I will be the first to face UA's best!" Gamagori declared. He pulled out his whip and attached it to the polling place, propelling himself onto the main stage.

The platform shook from his sheer weight, which stirred up a cautious reaction from everyone.

"I am Lady Satsuki's impenetrable shield! I challenge you! And I will crush you!" He pointed his finger towards the entire class.

"Not so fast. I don't remember anyone saying you had dibs on them," Jakuzure said.

"Yeah, I wanna be the first to fight the UA kids," Sanageyama protested.

"Hey! So, how does that even work exactly? There's only four of you guys against a bunch of us. That doesn't really make a lot of sense," Kaminari pointed out.

"Yeah, uh, none of this makes sense at all," Mineta added.

"You two are fools," Inumuta said, which shut them up.

"We had the opportunity to study you all very closely during the Sports Festival. With the data we gathered, we want to test ourselves against your quirks. We'll each get a turn to fight. And it'll be with any opponent we choose."

"I have already decided who fights when," Satsuki cut in, surprising everyone.

"Have you not bothered to notice the difference in height from your piller? The more students you defeat as an Elite Four member, the higher your piller. Therefore, Gamagori goes first. Inumuta is next, then Jakuzure. And then Sanageyama will have his turn."

"Shit! I kicked too much loser ass," Sanageyama expressed his disappointment.

"It seems your fighting style is more effective than you thought," Inumuta said.

"You guys really think that you can take on all of us, huh?" Ryuko sneered at them.

"Who else would we wipe the floor with? Definitely not those losers down below. They should have known their chances were crushed the moment you guys came here," Jakuzure said with a devilish grin.

"NOOO!"

The screams and cries of all the one-star and no-star students echoed throughout the skies. Izuku could feel them ringing in his ears. To him, it was almost disorientating. So much that he nearly collapsed, falling to his knee.

"Izuku!" Ochako shouted, which put Ryuko on alert immediately.

"Midoriya! Are you okay?" Tanaka dropped to a knee and tended to him with Ochako

"Huh? I-Izuku!" Ryuko dashed over to her friend quickly. Seeing him faltered like this was never a good sign. "A-Are you alright? What happened to him?"

"I-I dont know!" Ochako blurted out.

"What's the matter, Midoriya? Growing tired already?" Satsuki antagonized him.

"Shut the hell up!" Ryuko synced up and pointed her scissor blade at Satsuki within seconds. Tanaka also whipped his head around, shooting a glare and growling at the heiress.

'What the hell is wrong with you, Lady Satsuki?' the boy gritted his teeth even more.

Tanaka's reaction surprised Kiryuin, looking somewhat unsure of how to respond.

'How peculiar. Why is he so protective of these students? He's nothing like Harime,' Satsuki mulled over while confusing the rest of the group.

"Hey! Don't get cold feet now, Midoriya!" Sanageyama hollered at him. "I want a chance to take a swing at ya!"

"Tch, don't get your hopes up, Sanageyama. Some of us might get that privilege first. But before that, there are two students I've been eager to whip into shape," Gamagori declared.

"Two?" Iida wondered.

"Are they allowed to do that?" Ashido asked.

"KATSUKI BAKUGO! SHOTO TODOROKI! YOU TWO WILL BE MY OPPONENTS!" Ira shouted as he singled the two teens out.

Everyone gasped, including both Bakugo and Todoroki.

"B-But they're crazy strong! This is bad! He must be on a different level if he thinks he can take them on!" Sero exclaimed.

"These Honnōji guys are crazy!" Sato exclaimed.

"Who cares? I'll just blow the bastard up. It'll be fun to take down big, dumb, and ugly here," Bakugo boasted as he stepped out of the crowd. "Just stay outta my way, Icy-hot."

"This guy must be stupid, thinking he could take the two of us. Maybe I will let you go fight him," Todoroki scoffed while joining the blonde.

"You two are as insolent as you were at the Sports Festival. I'm going to knock some discipline into you. When we're done here, you'll both leave as respectful model students."

"BRING IT, DIRTBAG!" Bakugo shouted, his palms igniting. Todoroki's hand frosted as he got into a stance.

Gamagori remained stationary, not changing his posture in the slightest. Everything was silent. And it dragged on for a while.

"What the hell?" Bakugo wondered, seeing that Gamagori still hadn't moved. Todoroki's body relaxed, being equally confused.

"Uhh, what's going on? Weren't they about to fight?" Ryuko turned around to see everyone else shrug.

"Hey! What gives? Are we going to throw down or what?" Bakugo asked.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Our battle isn't supposed to begin until one o'clock!" Gamagori answered him.

"Wait, WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

To Be Continued…

Buckichamp A/N: Some of y'all may wonder why we had the trigger warning above when the fic has been rated "M" since we started. Well, there wasn't a ton of build-up to what happened and I've dealt with people in my personal life who've had traumatic experiences and they were top of mind when I gave the scene another reading.

Also yes, Tanaka is an OC we introduced back in Chapter 28/29 (Though he was technically introduced during Nui's first cameo right after the Cavalry battle in Chapter 23). We've stated it before, so we won't remind y'all again after this.