Barbershop's demeanour had lightened somewhat, now that he was no longer forced into the monotony of watching the Sports Festival. To be honest, the whole heroics 'thing' grated on his nerves. It was nothing more than a popularity contest, one manipulated by the fickle masses, achieving very little in terms of genuine societal change. What grated him the most about these heroes was their utterly shallow, borderline non-existent commitment to lasting solutions. The lack of real consequences for villains only fueled an endless cycle of slaps on wrists and prison stays. What they needed was an actual deterrent, something more… permanent.

In Barbershop's childhood, when his quirk appeared, all anyone could tell him was how useful he would be to the heroes. His quirk was named Sterilisation, capable of purging any space of foreign contaminants instantly. Oh, the prospects for medicine were dazzling! What a blessing for all those reckless souls injuring themselves and draining precious resources. The medical "heroes" like Recovery Girl, they riled him the most. They should be selective in their treatment for those who truly deserved it.

His parents, with their mundane existence and meagre income, believed they deserved it. They contributed nothing and amounted to nothing, yet somehow felt entitled to reap benefits they were unworthy of. The looks on their faces when they found out the human body thrived on foreign bacteria…

Then came High Street, discovering Barbershop over the lifeless bodies of his parents. Apparently they were interesting enough to attract the attention of a covert assassin's guild. Barbershop would later come to understand that High Street's mission wasn't to kill, but to retrieve. From that moment he became a part of The Market.

Inko Midoriya was proving to be as unimpressive as his parents, trapped in a vapid career, making no impact. Sifting through the surveillance archives of Aldera General, eavesdropping on her mundane exchanges with Diner, was driving him to the brink of insanity. Or maybe he had already crossed that threshold. The notion of abandoning this line of investigation for something less soul-crushing was beckoning, when suddenly, he stumbled on something interesting.

"In that case, here's the plan: you're coming over for dinner tonight, no ifs or buts. If I can't help you get bloody revenge, I'll make sure to help you with homemade cooking."

Diner had been in the Midoriya household, shared a meal with the woman and her son. If she really had doubts over the Yaoyorozu girl being her attacker at UA, she should have recognised the Midoriya boy. Why had this crucial piece of information been withheld from The Market? Even the smallest slither of information has to be provided. Clearly, Diner could no longer be trusted, and a more hands-on investigation was needed.

With a few keystrokes, Barbershop opened his communications network, and located the contact details he needed. "Museum, I have something to discuss with you regarding Diner. Meet me in the usual spot." With that, he unceremoniously ended the call.

Away from the colourful lights and vibrant music of the festival, Izuku and Mei found a quiet corner to share a private conversation. The atmosphere was outwardly relaxed, but there was a tension inside Izuku begging him to breach this subject.

"You noticed it, didn't you?" Izuku's voice broke the tranquillity.

Mei blinked a few times, as if showing off her eyes. "Yeah, I see a lot of things." She grinned. "Was that the first time you felt your quirk on your back?"

"As far as I know, yeah." He furrowed his brow as he considered this. "Like, it could have happened without me knowing about it. You know how my quirk works on some level of instinct, right?"

Naturally, Mei saw this as a prime opportunity to do some testing. "Of course I do! And I want to know more! Can you do it again?"

Izuku nodded, closing his eyes and focusing inward, trying to feel the energy flowing from his hand to his shoulder blade. After a moment, he opened his eyes again and asked, "What should I try thinking about? What sort of machine travels from an arm to a shoulder blade?"

She shrugged. "I think you're tackling this too literally. Don't try to think of an existing item, try to think outside the box."

Izuku took a deep breath, and held up his right arm, his fingers slightly trembling with anticipation. A sudden metallic glint caught the sunlight as a plate of metal emerged on the back of his hand. With a clunking sound, another plate emerged, sliding smoothly from beneath the first one, resembling a gleaming metal scale. The transformation continued, as more scales built themselves across his hand and began creeping up his arm like an otherworldly armour.

The green of the metal contrasted against the blue of his uniform, it was cold to the touch and impossibly beautiful. He clenched his transformed hand into a fist, and the plates gave the impression of a fearsome metallic dragon's claw.

Mei's eyes widened in awe. "Izuku, it looks… It's so…" she stammered, reaching out to touch the back of the armour with her hand.

He managed a breathless smile, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Y-yeah," he replied, still holding his breath with the effort of maintaining the transformation. "This is taking a lot out of me… it's still just my hand that has transformed. I just extended the reach of the machine to cover my arm… gah." With a relieved exhale, the scales retracted, vanishing as if they were never there. "I've been researching Hiryu Rin's quirk from 1-B, I guess some kind of inspiration struck me."

Just as the display concluded, Uraraka's voice interrupted their moment, "Oh, thank goodness I found you!"

Izuku instinctively slid his untransformed hand into his pocket. Hopefully someday he wouldn't be so quick to hide it. "Oh, Uraraka! Congratulations on your win against Tetsutetsu.

"Hope you know I'll be giving you a better fight!" Mei declared with a clenched fist.

Uraraka chuckled, "Hah, I don't doubt it! But could you come up to the 1A box, please? Tsu just had her fight against that Shinso kid, and well, you spent longer with that guy than any of us, so… You'll understand when we get there."

The festive atmosphere was noticeably absent from the box where 1A was seated in the stands. While there were drinks set out in absurdly elegant glassware, Yaoyorozu's efforts, the mood had been soured by the previous fight. Tsuyu sat on the couch, her tear-streaked face surrounded by friends who were doing their best to cheer her up. Mostly by shoving sweets in her mouth and giving encouraging words in their attempts to console her.

Izuku and Mei weren't sure what to do. While they were definitely friendly with Tsu in their hero law classes, neither really felt they were at the 'comforting' stage of the friendship. Uraraka sensed their hesitation, and leaned in to explain the situation.

"Everything seemed fine until the fight. The match had just started when Tsu's expression changed, and she left the arena," Uraraka recounted, looking over to their friend on the couch, currently being forced into a hug with Ashido. "A few seconds later, she was in tears."

Izuku's expression reflected his empathy for the girl. "She must have really pinned her hopes on winning,"

Tsu, her tears now dry but a lingering sadness in her eyes, turned toward them. "It wasn't about winning, ribbit," she said in a low voice. "He insulted me before the match. I tried to not let him get to me, but he was saying really hurtful things, ribbit."

Yaoyorozu directed her attention toward them and asked, "You were both on the team with him in the second round, correct? Did he ever disclose the nature of his quirk to you, or do you have any insight into why he would behave in such a manner? We speculated it might be tied to emotional triggers, but you could offer a more informed perspective."

In a state of simmering anger, Mei exclaimed, "I couldn't care less how his stupid quirk works, I'm beating the crap out of him!"

Izuku's fury boiled within him as well; he blamed himself for Shinso's advancement to this stage. "He never outright told me what his quirk does, but I guessed it was based on responding to his questions. He got me with it during the first round, someone from his class had to snap me out of it."

Nodding, Tsuyu said "That makes sense, ribbit. He was asking me questions all the time… The last thing he said was," she stopped for a second to calm down, "He asked, 'how can they let a mutant like you out in public?'. I asked him how he could be so cruel, ribbit, he said 'I win', and made me walk out of bounds."

"I understand we'll probably hear worse things from villains, ribbit, but I didn't expect to hear it from other students, especially not at a big event like this…" her eyes began to shine with tears again.

"Tsu, you don't have to explain yourself to anyone, the only one who did wrong here is Shinso." Izuku said quietly, hiding his anger and frustration. "Shinso said he wants to be a hero, but this is not how heroes behave."

He closed his eyes for a moment and took some breaths. "I'm going to go talk to him."

Mina threw up her bandaged arm, "Go kick his ass, Midoriya!"

"Not if I kick it first." Mei said.

"I think I have to do this on my own, Mei. Thanks, though." Izuku said to his friend, who nodded with understanding.

Izuku found Shinso standing in a quieter corner of the event, far removed from the bustling crowds, lying back on a bench with his arms propped up behind his head. His eyes were closed, but he opened them when Izuku's shadow blocked out the light.

"Shinso." Izuku began, his voice firm but composed. "We need to talk about what happened earlier with Tsuyu."

The purple-haired student looked up at him with a cold detachment. "I figured someone would come to lecture me eventually. Go ahead, get it over with."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Izuku replied with a disappointed tone, "I'm not here to lecture you. I just want you to acknowledge that what you did was wrong. You can't act this way with people, it's not right!"

With an eyebrow raised, Shinso snorted and replied, "Is that so? Then please, explain. How do you expect me to act?"

Some time ago, Izuku would never have willingly placed himself in this situation. It appeared that UA was indeed boosting his self-confidence. He took a deep breath before proceeding. "You said you wanted to join the hero course, right? That's why you have no regard for how your actions affect others, as long as you win. Well, you know what? That's complete bullshit."

Shinso's expression remained unmoved.

"The greatest hero in the world once said, 'It's not the victory that defines the hero, but the way they reach that victory'. Heroes are meant to inspire and give hope," Izuku continued with more passion. "What you did there, intentionally hurting someone emotionally to gain an edge... That's not heroic."

"And who are you to tell me what a real hero should be?"

"I've spent my entire life looking up to heroes, even when I didn't want to be one anymore." Izuku replied, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "I've seen so many different kinds of heroes doing good in the world, everyone has the potential inside them somewhere, no matter what their quirk is. You could be a great hero, but using your power as an excuse to manipulate and demean others…" he couldn't contain his anger anymore, and yelled at the boy on the bench, "Heroes are supposed to protect, not tear down!"

"You don't know what you're saying. In this world, sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to win. The outcomes are what count."

"You can't use a desire to win as an excuse for acting the way you did! That's a dangerous path that only leads to becoming as evil as the villains we're supposed to be fighting against!"

Shinso averted his gaze and shook his head, "You're naive if you think it's that easy. You didn't have to grow up with a quirk everyone at school called villainous. If I have to act like a villain sometimes to prove them wrong, then so be it."

"That's why you're doing this? Spite? Shinso, who gives a shit what some kids at school thought? You don't even GO to that school anymore!" He lifted his hands in frustration and started pacing the small area they were in, "And you call me naive? My whole life, people at my school thought I'd achieve nothing because my quirk was so weak. All they cared about was how it could be used for heroics, none of them cared even a bit about my wins at conventions, the gear I made for heroes, the top test scores. But you know what?"

"What?"

"At no point did I think, hey, here's an idea, I'll refocus my entire life because of what some shitty children think! If you want to be a hero, then do it for the right reasons, Shinso. Not because some kids were mean to you when you were 10."

For a moment, the air was thick with tension. Then, Shinso let out a sigh, his posture slumping slightly. "You're really something, Midoriya. You've got this resolve that's… Infuriatingly inspiring."

Izuku smiled slightly. "I'll take that as a compliment. Just remember, Shinso, you could be an amazing hero. So, be a better person."

As he turned to leave, Shinso's voice stopped him. "Hey, Midoriya? Thanks for… giving me something to think about."

Izuku just nodded as he turned the corner. Out of sight, he leaned up against a wall and almost started hyperventilating. "Holy crap, I just tore someone down and didn't even stutter!" he thought to himself.

"Alright party people!" Roared Present Mic's vibrant voice, reverberating through the stadium like a tidal wave of excitement. "The temperature is rising as the inaugural victors have surged into the quarterfinals! Hatsume, Uraraka, Todoroki, Hononuki, Kuri, Midoriya, Kirishima, and Shinso! Who will ascend to the semifinals, and who will face elimination?!"

In response, the crowd erupted with an explosive chorus of cheers. Up in the elevated teacher's section, Principal Nezu sipped his tea from a novelty football helmet attached to a straw, all while wearing a foam hand that boldly declared 'UA Pride'. He turned to Yagi, who sat beside him.

"Interesting fights this year, eh Yagi? I imagine these encounters are offering you much food for thought!"

"Mm." nodded the skeletal man with an air of seriousness., "Indeed they are. Young Uraraka's next fight is up next, I'm interested to see how she fares against the Hatsume girl. it seems that young Midoriya places considerable faith in both of them..."

In the depths of the tunnels below, Izuku extended words of encouragement to his friend. "Best of luck, Mei. Don't underestimate her, alright? Remember, she's part of the hero course - they've been training for this for months."

"I've been training too!"

"You know what I mean. Just… Be careful, yeah?"

Mei smiled back at him, "You know I'm always careful."

Internally wincing at memories of Mei's daredevil leaps from buildings, Izuku managed a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I know you are."

Across the arena floor, Uraraka's gaze exuded unwavering determination, an intensity that seemed to emanate an aura all its own. Recognising she'd have to take this match more seriously, Mei matched that intensity and stood ready for whatever came next.

"Begin!" Midnight's whip cracked like a gunshot, signalling the start of the duel.

Without a moment's hesitation, Hatsume unleashed a flurry of blunted crossbow bolts, aiming for pressure points on Uraraka's arms in an attempt to impair her dexterity. But even Mei's precise aim paled in comparison to an opponent used to quick, evasive manoeuvres. The bolts barely grazed her uniform.

Uraraka soared gracefully through the air, employing her quirk to elongate her jumps and effortlessly narrowing the gap between them. Her training under All Might had gotten her used to aerial movement, her nausea now well under control. With a twist here and a turn there, she dodged another bolt that whizzed past her ear. Swiftly landing and propelling herself forward, Uraraka's fist streaked toward Hatsume's face.

Reacting with quick precision, Hatsume deflected the punch with her arm and propelled herself back using her boost boots, adopting the defensive stance Eraserhead had recently taught her. A swift jab followed, but Uraraka sidestepped with ease, responding with a leg sweep. Hatsume's landing resonated with a thud, yet she managed to fire a close-range bolt that found its mark in Uraraka's calf, eliciting a wince of pain.

"Agh! Why did that hurt so much?!" Uraraka hopped in discomfort. "It made my foot go numb!"

"Femoral nerve," Hatsume casually explained with a shrug, before skillfully rolling backward and reclaiming her fighting stance. But Uraraka was far from done. In one fluid motion, she used her quirk to spin in mid air and slammed a boot into her opponent's face, forcing Hatsume down once more. Expertly using her legs, Uraraka pinned Hatsume and held the crossbow weapon to the ground. A triumphant smile painted Uraraka's face, convinced of her imminent victory.

Struggling against Uraraka's weight, Hatsume managed to manipulate her wrist enough to select a smoke bomb projectile from her crossbow. The projectile detonated on Uraraka's boot, shrouding the battlefield in a thick curtain of smoke.

Coughing amidst the smoke's sting, Uraraka found herself lifted by Mei from behind, only to be slammed back to the ground. Mei's firm grip pinned her in place, poised to force a surrender just as she had with Yamashita. Yet Uraraka summoned her quirk's power, causing Hatsume to float and lose control of her movements.

Panic setting in, Hatsume twisted her wrist once more, aiming to fire the net capture projectile to ensnare her opponent. But to her dismay, she recognised the blue sparks and strained mechanisms indicating a baby in need of care. In an instant, the crossbow erupted, cocooning Mei in its own weaponry.

Frustration and screams mingled as Mei struggled against her self-inflicted entanglement, suspended mid-air in the net. Meanwhile, Uraraka, holding her side and nursing her injured leg, dragged Hatsume to the arena's edge and employed her quirk to send her out of bounds.

"Ochaco Uraraka wins! Hell of a fight, wouldn't you say so Eraserhead? …Eraserhead?! Where did he run off to?!"

"Mei, Oh my gosh, I'm seriously so sorry! I didn't hurt you too much, did I?!" Uraraka was a mess of apologies, flailing her arms in distress. Mei was comfortably seated in an infirmary chair, taking it all in.

"Eh? Nah, this is nothing," Mei casually brushed off the concern, motioning to her wrapped-up right arm. "Honestly, I'm more to blame here! I'm used to my babies exploding, but usually they're not attached to my wrists."

The infirmary had emptied out a bit by now; most of Hana's 'victims' from the second round had been dismissed (Kamui Woods was still lurking somewhere). Recovery Girl was immersed in some paperwork and munching on a burrito almost as big as her. Politely, Izuku approached her, seeking some advice.

"Excuse me, Recovery Girl? Could I ask you something about um, you know?" He asked, pointing to the back of his right arm. "Somewhere private?"

"Oh, absolutely, dearie! I've got a little side nook for these private convos. You two!" She wagged her cane at Uraraka and Hatsume, "No starting any fires! Kamui Woods is still recuperating next door!" And off she went, leading Izuku out of the room.

"So, Uraraka," Mei began, only to be interrupted with a burst of thought.

"Y'know, I've been thinking, it's cool if you wanna call me Ochaco now... I mean, we've been friends for a while, and I did just kick you in the head... Seems like a fair trade, don't you think?"

Mei's face lit up like a neon sign. "Ochaco! Love it! You've already been calling me Mei for ages anyway!"

Ochaco laughed, "Yeah, since the day we met. But you were about to mention something?"

"Oh, right! I've been running some simulations in my head, and it's increasingly likely you'll be fighting against Todoroki in the next round. If you win, you'll probably be against Izuku in the final."

"How did you figure that all out already? We were the first match of the round… But do you really think Izuku will win against Kirishima?" She asked, her curiosity piqued.

Mei grinned, "You don't know the sorts of tricks Izuku has up his sleeves. I'm willing to give you some advice on fighting Todoroki, but my lips are sealed when it comes to Izuku! You get it, right?"

"Sure, I understand. But Mei, honestly – I'm not looking for hints. When I'm a full-fledged hero, there'll be times when intel's not a given. This is all about learning."

Mei was about to launch into a passionate defence of the importance of intel in heroics, when the shadow of a worn-out man darkened the doorway.

"Hatsume," Eraserhead said, leaning on the doorframe with an accusatory glance. "I think we have some things to discuss."

"Ohh, peanuts."

"With a spectacular flying headbutt, Kuri Kuri defeats Hitoshi Shinso in just ONE MOVE! He's through to the Semi-Finals, folks!"

The chants of " Helicopter Boy! Helicopter Boy! Helicopter Boy!" Reverberated through the air. Izuku stood in the arena, his heart pounding and the moment weighing very heavily upon his shoulders. With a deep breath, he steeled himself against the modicum of anxiety he felt inside - something he was finding easier and easier to do. The memory of his recent conversation with Recovery Girl fresh in his mind.

"Don't worry about going all out my dear, that's the whole reason I'm here! Frankly, I've been looking forward to seeing you whoop some butt! Ahahaha!"

As Kirishima walked up on the opposite end of the arena, confidently waving to the crowd, Izuku slowly removed his Strike Gauntlets and threw them aside. A bold declaration.

"Izuku Midoriya has removed his support items!" Present Mic's voice echoed through the arena in confusion, "Are we about to see some brand new gadgets?!"

In the stands, Power Loader sat watching with his arms crossed, a smile forming on his face. "Good for you, kid. Show them what you've got."

The battle began with an intensity that took almost everyone by surprise, when Izuku's right arm began to transform - a heavy metal chain attached to a weight forming from his elbow, pooling to the arena floor.

There was a stunned pause in the arena, especially from Present Mic. "Wait just a minute, did I see that right!? Izuku Midoriya…HAS A TRANSFORMATION QUIRK?!TALK ABOUT A SURPRISE!"

Kirishima was momentarily stopped in his tracks, enough time for Izuku to flick his arm, sending the weight slicing through the air with a menacing whistle. The chain missed its mark, but with another swift movement it began to retract back into his elbow, catching Kirishima in the back on its return trip.

With Kirishima smacked closer toward him, Izuku transformed his left hand into a strong mallet. His muscles tensed as he unleashed a powerful uppercut straight to the unsuspecting Kirishima's jaw. The impact sent him hurtling through the air, a collective gasp escaped the spectators as he landed with his quirk fully activated, digging his hardened heels into the arena floor.

Determined, Kirishima pushed off the floor leaving a sizable hole in his wake. He lunged toward Izuku like a human cannonball, ready to unleash a hardened right-hook. Izuku's instincts kicked in as he transformed his forearm into a circular shield, ready to deflect the fierce charge. Despite his best efforts, the collision wasn't fully blocked. After a loud bang that sent shockwaves across the arena, Izuku noticed the shield's surface bore a large dent from the impact of fist against metal.

A flicker of panic raced through Izuku's mind, but he refused to stop now. With Kirishima about to attack again, Izuku's right arm morphed into a butterfly net, which he gently placed over his opponent's head. He could hear pockets of laughter coming from the crowd, and Izuku managed a nervous chuckle. "Um… Gotcha?"

Kirishima delayed his attack and couldn't help but smile. "Your quirk is super manly, dude! But if you don't have anything else in you, that's totally cool! No shame in throwing in the towel." he encouraged.

"Maybe later." With a burst of strength, the butterfly net transformed into a giant crane machine claw that enveloped Kirishima's head. The crowd was a frenzy of excitement as the telescopic metal of Izuku's forearm lifted Kirishima into the air and slammed him into the ground, denting the arena floor.

With his foe dazed, Izuku transformed his arm back into a heavy mallet, a favourite transformation, ready to deliver a finishing blow. The mallet descended, aimed precisely, but Kirishima wasn't ready to give in. His body hardened to its maximum extent, catching the mallet with one hand and absorbing the impact with a power that sent tremors through the ground. The resulting vibration surged through Izuku's body, his teeth clattering. The transformation wavered, and in that moment of vulnerability Kirishima seized his opportunity.

With an impressive display of strength, Kirishima grabbed a hold of Izuku's leg, and threw him with all his might.

Present Mic's electrifying commentary broke through, "Hold onto your seats, folks! This is the moment of truth! Can Midoriya make a comeback?! This is like a scene out of an anime!"

As Izuku soared through the air, straight for the out of bounds area, he calculated the trajectory, the crowd's cheers and gasps seeming to slow down as his mind raced. In an impressive display, Izuku twisted his body in mid air, transforming both arms into his tried and tested grappling hooks, pulling himself back in bounds and crashing onto the hard ground.

Kirishima's response was fast. He lunged forward, his fist hurtling toward Izuku with ferocious power. Smoke and debris billowed as he charged, a boom like a crack of thunder exploding from the arena as the attack met its target. The crowd's cheers reached a fever pitch.

The smoke dissipated, and Kirishima looked down with wide-eyed shock. Izuku's arm had transformed once again, into a metallic green armour. He could hear Izuku's heart beating rapidly, his breath shallow and exhausted. But he couldn't budge from the grip Izuku currently had on his arm.

By this stage, Present Mic was back to standing on his announcer's table. "Holy smokes! Did you see that?! Midoriya is bringing out the big guns and channelling his inner dragon! He just stopped that punch right in its tracks!"

"Dude…that's super manly." Kirishima managed to breathe out.

"Thanks…It's…a little new…" Izuku's words were laboured, but for a moment he dared to believe that victory was within his grasp.

But amidst the chaos and excitement, he missed the telltale signs of Kirishima's next move. A sharp cry escaped Izuku's mouth as Kirishima's knee drove itself into his stomach. The impact was intense, culminating in a shockwave of pain. He staggered backward, fought to regain his footing, but fell backwards off the stage - defeated.

"Eijiro Kirishima is through to the semi-finals!"

Kirishima extended a hand toward Izuku, lifting him up from the floor. "That was super fun dude, thanks for fighting me!"

Izuku grinned and nodded, "Any time… Well, maybe not for a little while." he said, rubbing his stomach.

As the two fighters stepped out of the arena, a wave of cheers and applause erupted from the crowd. In the teacher's stands, Nezu chuckled loudly. "Ohohoho! I am rather glad he was finally comfortable enough to show us that! I've been waiting a rather long time, you know!"

Yagi did a double take and his jaw dropped, "You - you knew he was capable of that!?"

"Of course! I am the principal, after all."