Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the Super Mario or My Hero Academia franchises
I sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this hiatus. Your unwavering support means the world to me, and I hope you find this chapter as enjoyable as I found writing it.
Also, for those who follow my Zeku story, I'm working on the next chapter right now, but its progress is slow. The main reason is research. With Midoriya's strategic mind, there is no doubt that he would try to find new Eevee types or combine the types he's already unlocked. So, what sounds more interesting to you all? Midoriya trying to discover new types such as ghost, steel, poison, or fighting. Or Midoriya trying to combine the types he's already unlocked to become the first dual-type Eevee? Please let me know.
Chapter 7: The Start of the U.A. Sports Festival
It has been a few days since Mineta attacked the school while being controlled by Madame Grape. Thanks to that, the staff at U.A. has put more effort into securing the school. Both in terms of security and the mental health of their students. After learning that Grape turns her victims into her servants by preying on their negative emotions, Nezu has had all students at U.A. take mandatory therapy sessions with the pro-hero HoundDog. He hopes this will prevent more students from becoming victims of Grape's powers.
In addition to this, he also hired extra security for the U.A. Sports Festival. Fortunately, he found capable heroes, such as Kamui Woods and Death Arms, willing to do patrol duty during the sports festival. Unfortunately, the media's uncanny timing during Mineta's attack has caused U.A.'s reputation and trust amongst the people of Japan to fall even further. Many outlets were questioning U.A.'s decision to continue with the sports festival. Some even accused U.A. of either negligence or caring more about their image than the students' safety.
Nezu had much to deal with from the media, the masses, and the Hero Safety Commission. The president of the HSC understood Nezu's reasoning for still wanting to hold the sports festival but questioned if the extra security he hired would be enough. Many believed he should have postponed the festival to conduct a more thorough investigation into the recent attacks on U.A..
"This has been the most stressful week in U.A. history. Our enemies are becoming bolder, and the press's timing seems impeccable to catch us in our worst moments." Nezu said to himself as he was going over some files.
The attacks on U.A. were terrible enough, but the press's coverage of it made things even worse. Nezu had his suspicions about the press's timing. He could accept that one of the villains from the USJ attack managed to record the event and escaped. But how did they know where and when Mineta was going to attack? When he and the teachers asked the reporters about this, they all pointed to Vio Liettie. Something was off about her; his gut instinct was telling him, neigh, screaming at him that she would be trouble.
They had asked her about the video of the USJ she had received and how she knew about the attack. She told them her 'reporter's instinct' led her to the attack scene. As for the video, she provided financial records that proved she bought it online. They tried to trace the source back to the seller, but whoever it was made sure to cover their tracks. They continued to question her but got nothing. There was no sign, no hint of a lie or deception. She appeared to be completely innocent. But Nezu and Aizawa weren't fooled. They both just felt that she was hiding something from them. But without proof, they couldn't go after her.
Since Vio Liettie was innocent, they focused on what they had for now. First, was the creature that had attacked the USJ called Nomu. According to Izumi's testimony, it had multiple quirks and was designed to kill All Might if what the leader said was true. Second, the leader, Tomura Shigaraki. Despite appearing to be the same age as their students, it seemed he had more training as he examined Aizawa during his fight to find an opening. Then there was his powerful quirk that disintegrated anything he touched with all five fingers. The only reason Aizawa survived his attack was because he was able to cancel out his quirk before it spread.
"This is troubling. His attitude and the way he spoke during the attack. It's not hard to imagine someone is training him and cultivating his hatred of heroes. And it seems our student, Izumi Midoriya, has caught his eye. He now sees her as a threat to be eliminated. I believe he and this Madame Grape are working together. However, with how she spoke to Izumi during their first confrontation, I don't think she is the one training him. If it's the one who made Nomu, the one who gave Nomu multiple quirks, then this presents an entirely new and much more dangerous problem." Nezu said to his acquaintance.
"Are you suggesting that he's back?" All Might asked. He was sitting in Nezu's office in his skinny form.
"Yes. And he's no doubt interested in Izumi's power. But if he allied himself with Madame Grape, he must know it's not a quirk."
"Then why would he be interested in her?"
"Because of his desire for power. Just because Izumi's power is not a quirk doesn't mean he won't try to take it. If he knows the true source of her power, he might target Stella instead. We'll have to keep a close eye on both of them."
"I'll make sure to do that, Nezu. I intend to send young Midoriya after him when she is ready. In fact, I plan to end things with him myself, once and for all."
"Are you sure you can do that, All Might? With your waning power and damaged body?"
All Might flinched at Nezu's question.
"I admit, I'm not as strong as I was when I first fought him. But I can only assume the same goes for him. During our last fight, I damaged his body to the point I thought I had killed him. I can't imagine he's doing any better than me."
"That's assuming Madame Grape hasn't fixed him."
"But, sir. No quirk can heal such a damaged body."
"No quirk, true. But what about magic? Remember, Stella's and Madame Grape's power does not come from quirks but from an entirely new and unknown source. Who knows what they are truly capable of."
All Might shivered at this. The thought of his arch-enemy, All for One, having returned and with his prime body. It was too awful to think about. He prayed that wasn't the case and Madame Grape's magic only allowed her to control others.
"Well, I don't think there's any point in dwelling on it now. We can only prepare ourselves if that is the case and our worst fears come to pass. For now, we must focus on our students and the sports festival."
"I agree, sir."
"Splendid."
Nezu spent the rest of the evening explaining the security plans to All Might.
The next day
The day of the U.A. Sports Festival has arrived, and the event is in full swing. Many have come to watch the students compete. The media is also present, as many news organizations, including Vine-Fruit News, sent reporters to cover the event. Vio Liettie and her crew were among the few reporters who had received VIP passes for the sports festival. Aizawa, Present Mic, and Midnight explained where these passes allowed them to go.
"Okay, so the passes allow you to visit the student and teacher seating areas to ask them questions that don't agitate them or are too invasive. They DON'T allow you access to the field, the changing rooms, or the waiting areas the students use between masses. Understand?" Aizawa asked.
"Crystal clear, Erasure Head," Vio answered.
Aizawa and the other teachers didn't like giving Vio Liettie and her crew VIP passes as she had not only been the most vocal against U.A. but was also the one reporter who seemed to know where to be when these terrible events happened. They didn't believe it was her 'reporter's instinct' and thought she had a hand in the attacks or at least knew the perpetrators. But without solid evidence, they couldn't pursue a warrant against her. Nezu hoped that by giving Vio a VIP pass, they could keep a closer eye on her and, hopefully, catch some clue that she was allied with the League of Villains.
"Are there seats for us to watch the events?" One reporter asked.
"Yes. If you will follow us, we'll lead you to them." Midnight answered.
The reporters followed Midnight and Present Mic as Aizawa went in a separate direction.
"Aizawa, where are you going?" Present Mic asked.
"I need to give my students a pep talk, Yamada. Plus, some of them have brought up concerns I must address."
"Okay, don't be late. You're commentating with me."
"Don't remind me."
With Class 1-A
We see Aizawa's class in the waiting room designated for them. They are all chatting while waiting for the signal to enter the fields.
"Man, I wanted to wear my costume!" Mina complained.
"I understand, Mina, but I can see why we have to wear our P.E. uniforms like the rest of the class. It wouldn't be fair to the other courses if we had our costumes that were built to support or enhance our quirks." Asui said.
"Aww, I wanted to stand out!"
"Well, your costume would definitely help with that," Izumi commented.
"By the way, Izu, why did Aizawa take you, Tsu, and Uraraka into a separate room the other day?"
"I'm curious about that, too."
Mina and Hagakure said.
"Oh, it was about what happened when Mineta kidnapped us. We did see the real villain who was controlling him." Izumi answered.
Everyone turned to Mineta, who looked away in shame. While the girls understood he was forced to do what he did, it didn't take away how they felt when he kidnapped them. It would take time to get over that feeling, except for Izumi. Thanks to Stella, she managed to get over it immediately after she saved everyone.
"We shouldn't shame Mineta for his actions. He wasn't in control during the time." Iida said.
The rest of the guys agreed. They may not know how the girls felt, but they didn't believe they should blame Mineta since the villain, who they learned was named Madame Grape, could control his mind and actions. This brought up a new fear, though. What if they were next? According to Mineta, she first attacked his spirit so that he couldn't resist her offer. Knowing her M.O., it made sense that Nezu made weekly therapy sessions with Hound Dog mandatory. Still, would it be enough?
"I won't let that Grape bitch get me. I won't be a burden to Izu." Bakugo thought.
After they were sent home that day, he asked her what happened in that realm. While Izumi couldn't give the full details, mainly about the other world thing, thanks to Nezu and All Might swearing her to secrecy until they find out more about it, she did tell him about Grape and her plans for Izumi. He didn't know why Grape wanted Izumi to be the star of her 'tragedy,' but he wouldn't sit back and do anything while Izumi was targeted.
While Bakugo was thinking this, Todoroki was approaching Izumi.
"Izu."
"Yeah, Todoroki?" Izumi said as she turned to face Todoroki.
"It's safe to say we are the two strongest people in class. With that being said, I will defeat you today."
The whole class stood in silence at his declaration. Todoroki was about to walk away but stopped and turned back to Izumi.
"But, if you'd like, after the games, would you,"
Todoroki didn't finish his sentence as the door opened to reveal Aizawa.
"The games are about to start. Everyone, get ready. Midoriya, Uraraka, Asui, did you have some concerns?"
"Yes!" Midoriya answered.
"Then come tell me about them."
The three girls followed Aizawa outside. Todoroki slumped his shoulders at being unable to finish asking Izumi his question. He was about to return to his spot when he stopped before Bakugo.
"Bakugo."
"Yeah? What is it icy-hot?"
"I'll defeat you too. In both battlefields."
"Huh? What do you mean by that!?"
Bakugo asked. He stared into Todoroki's eyes briefly before realizing what he meant.
"Tch! Just try it, icy-hot."
Todoroki grunted before walking off.
"Weird, what was that about?" Hagakure asked.
"Love rivalry," Mina answered.
"What are you talking about?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"Come on, it's obvious both boys have feelings for Izu. This was Todoroki's declaration that he would be the one to win her heart."
"Oh, I get it now," Hagakure said.
"Todoroki may have shot himself in the foot with his earlier declaration to Izu." Jiro pointed out.
"Yeah, but it looked like he would say something else before Aizawa interrupted him. Ooh! Maybe he was going to ask her out!" Mina said.
"What the hell did you just say, raccoon eyes!?" Bakugo asked while glaring at Mina.
The girls backed away in fear of him. Back with Izumi, she and the other girls were now with Aizawa to discuss their concerns.
"Okay, so what was it you wanted to talk about?" Aizawa asked.
"It's about Madame Grape. When we were in her presence, it felt familiar. Like, we've seen her before." Izumi answered.
"And where did you feel this presence before?"
"Hmm, well, I think, oh yeah! It was when the reporters swarmed the front gates."
"Yeah, it was."
Uraraka and Asui answered.
"I see. Do you remember which reporter gave off the same vibes as Grape?"
The girls thought about it before Izumi's eyes widened in realization.
"Vio Liettie! It was her. She was the one that reminded me of Grape."
The other two nodded in agreement. Aizawa sighed before addressing the girls.
"I knew there was something off about her. Stella."
Stella came out of Izumi's hair to speak.
"Yes?"
"Can Grape change her form with her magic?"
"Yes. But the last time she used it, she made herself into a giant that would destroy us. I don't know if she could change how she looks into a completely different person, but I wouldn't put it past her abilities."
"I see. Any way to dispel the transformation?"
"Sorry, Aizawa. I have no clue besides beating her up."
"I see, so be it then."
"Mr. Aizawa, are you going to,"
"No, Asui, I won't attack Vio Liettie on a hunch. But we will be keeping a close eye on her from now on. If she really is Grape, it would explain how she knows where to be so she could cover every attack on U.A.. Now, you should join your classmates; the games are about to start. And be aware that Vio Liettie and her crew were given VIP passes, so you might see her around."
"What!?" The girls said in shock.
"I know, but Nezu believes this is the best way to monitor her closely. If she comes up to you to ask questions, treat her as a normal reporter. We don't want to show our hand yet."
"Yes, sir."
"Good, now get ready."
The girls bowed and rejoined the class while Aizawa left for the commentator's booth. Meanwhile, a Sour Bunch member was watching them.
"So, they think they have lead? I should let Madame Grape know about this."
He turned to leave but bumped into someone.
"Oh, and what were you going to tell her?"
The person was All Might, and Nezu was riding on his shoulder.
"CRUD!"
The Sour Bunch member tried to run. But All Might was faster and quickly pinned him down. Nezu got off to speak with their prisoner.
"Now then, I believe it would be best if you cooperate with us and reveal Madame Grape's plans."
"As if! Later suckers!"
The Sour Bunch member then bursts into a cloud of purple smoke.
"So, they can self-destruct if captured. Getting ahead of Grape will be more challenging than I thought."
"Still, we can't give up. She is targeting one of our students and may be allied with the League and him."
"Which is why I gave Vio Liettie those passes. Our teachers will watch her to see if we can learn anything."
"Do you truly believe she is in league with the villains?"
"With her impeccable timing and Izumi's testimony, I can't dismiss that notion. Nor can I dismiss that Vio Liettie may be Grape herself. We'll have to be vigilant and prepared."
All Might nodded before leaving with Nezu to join the other teachers. Aizawa entered the booth and took his seat. His fellow commentator, Present Mic, started his commentary.
"Hello, and welcome all you sports fans! Tell me, are you ready!?" Present Mic yelled, much to Aizawa's annoyance.
The crowd cheered in response to his question.
"Great! Now introducing our first group of competitors. They may be first years of the hero course, but they have already taken down villains not once, but twice! Give it up for Class 1-A!"
The crowd cheered for the students as they came onto the field.
"Did you have to say it like that?" Aizawa asked away from the microphone.
"It's better than saying they were attacked. This paints them in a better light." Yamada, who was also away from the microphone, responded.
Aizawa sighed and just went back to his spot. Yamada continued with the next class.
"And next up, they may not have the experience, but they have just as much guts. Also, first-year students in the hero course, Class 1-B!"
The crowds continued to cheer as the class joined 1-A on the field. Izumi never noticed Monoma staring at her.
"Your pet may have protected you in the hallway, but I will have your quirk." He said to himself.
"Next up, they may not be as well known as the hero course, but they are equally important. Please give it up for our support course!"
The crowds cheered for them as they came out with their gadgets.
"And finally, the business and general studies courses!"
The crowds cheered for them as they came out, but the students of these courses weren't too happy.
"We don't even get cool into. Just here they are? Whatever."
"You know we're just here to make the hero course students look better."
"Of course, it's all about the heroes and their fancy quirks. Tch, they're just lucky enough to be born with heroic quirks."
Some of the general studies grumbled out. Most of them had tried to make it into the hero course, but they didn't and were forced to choose general studies. Because of this, they developed a jealous hatred of the hero course students. The only one who wasn't glaring at them was the purple-haired student from before, Shinso. He just stared ahead with a sly smile. As the crowds cheered, Midnight walked onto the podium in the center of the field.
"Alright, now settle down everyone. I said settle down!" Midnight shouted as she cracked her riding crop on the ground.
This crowd immediately fell silent upon hearing her and the cracking of the crop.
"Good, now to make the opening pledge, we will ask the student with the highest score from the entrance exams. Will Izumi Midoriya please take the mic?"
Izumi was shocked, and all eyes were on her. She gave a short chuckle before walking up to the podium. She took the mic as she faced the crowd.
"Hello, everyone. It's an honor to be here. As a little girl, I've always looked up to heroes. They seemed like gods that I could never hope to reach. But now I'm here, in the same school they were in. Following their steps and carving my own path towards my dream. I've truly been blessed, but I know that's not the case for everyone. I've seen how many view us with envy thanks to recent events. If you wanted to join the hero course but didn't make the cut, it's time to step up."
Shinso and the rest of his class took an interest in this.
"This is a big opportunity not just for the hero and support courses but for you as well. This is your audition to show you have what it takes to be a hero. It's showtime, and we must go beyond Plus Ultra!"
There was a moment of silence before the crowd cheered at Izumi's speech. Even the support and business course clapped for her. Some of them may still envy her and the other hero students, but they liked the message in her speech.
"Damn. Maybe I was too quick to judge her." Shinso said to himself.
"What an inspiring speech. Thank you, Izumi Midoriya. You may return to your class." Midnight said.
Izumi bowed before she joined her classmates.
"Now, the first event of the U.A. Sports Festival!" Midnight gestured to the jumbotron as a roulette was spinning. It stopped on the obstacle course. "The obstacle course! Our competitors must run the course outside of the stadium. Only the first forty-two competitors that cross the finish line will advance to the next round. Now, all competitors make their way to the starting line. Also, you must run the course to pass. You are disqualified if you run back into the stadium from the starting line!"
All the students made their way to the start of the course. As they waited for the starting signal, Present Mic began his commentary.
"It's time for the games to begin. Are you ready?!" Present Mic shouted.
"Ugh, you're being too loud," Aizawa grumbled.
"How about some words, Erasure Head?"
"Why did I let you talk me into this?"
"Come on, maybe a few words of encouragement for your students?"
"No."
"Okay then. Now, let us focus on the first game, the obstacle course! Anything our competitors should look out for, Erasure Head?"
"The first and possibly most difficult obstacle of the course. The doorway."
The starting horn blared, and the students took off. But many students were stuck at the doorway.
"Holy cow! Look at them, packed tight like sardines. Glad I'm not down there with them." Present Mic commentated.
Back with the students, many were pushing and shoving to get through. Luckily for Izumi, she had transformed into the Dashing Thief costume and was now hanging from the ceiling, watching her fellow students try to escape this claustrophobic situation.
"This is crazy."
"It's just like the break-in when everyone panicked."
Stella and Izumi commented. As they watched, ice suddenly covered the floor and froze most of the students in place.
"That power. It could only be."
"And it looks like Shoto Todoroki from Class 1-A takes the lead while freezing many of his competitors!" Present Mic shouted.
Todoroki was running ahead of the others. But as he was running, the explosions behind him got his attention.
"Nice try, Todoroki. But it'll take more than that to stop us!" Yaoyorozu said as she and the rest of Class 1-A made it past Todoroki's ice.
"I expected our class to avoid my attack, but it looks like many others did as well," Todoroki commented.
"Damn, icy hot bastard!" Bakugo shouted as he flew towards Todoroki. "You think you're better than me!? You better have the guts to back up your words!"
"Of course I do."
Todoroki created a giant pillar of ice to try and stop Bakugo. But Bakugo just flew around it; Todoroki didn't stop, though. He continued to make more ice barriers to try to stop Bakugo as he ran. As Bakugo and Todoroki continued their fight at the front, something dashed by them.
"Huh?"
"What?"
Both boys were shocked to see Izumi dash by in her Ice Skater costume. As she skated forward, she had a large piece of Todoroki's ice in front of her.
"Thanks for the ice, Todoroki! I'll see you two at the finish line!" She said as she dashed forward.
"What the heck!? When did Midoriya slip by? And where did she get that ice?" Present Mic asked.
"She managed to cut off a piece of ice from one of Todoroki's earlier attacks and is now using it with her Ice Skater costume to take first place," Aizawa answered.
"Wait, costume? I thought the hero students weren't allowed to wear their costumes."
"It's Izumi Midoriya's quirk, ShowTime. It allows her to change costumes, no matter what she's wearing, and gain new powers and abilities with each one. The Ice Skater gives increased mobility and control over ice."
"I see. But how did she cut off a piece of the ice?"
"With another costume, her Sword Fighter costume."
Everyone looked to the jumbotron to see a replay of Izumi changing into her Sword Fighter outfit to cut off a piece of Todoroki's ice.
"Amazing! Midoriya's adaptability is a 'cut' above the rest of her classmates!"
Aizawa groaned at Yamada's attempt at a pun. Meanwhile, Izumi kept on skating ahead until a giant metal fist crushed the ice she had. Izumi leaped to the side and barely dodged the attack. As she was gathering her bearings, a large shadow towered over her. She looked up and was shocked by what she saw.
"Target: Locked on."
In front of her was an army of robots she recognized from the entrance exams, including at least three zero-pointer robots. The one closest to her slammed down its fist, seemingly crushing her.
"Oh! And Izumi was crushed by a zero-pointer. That's right, the next obstacle for our competitors to overcome is an army of robots from the entrance exams, The Robo-Inferno!" Present Mic commentated.
"Oh no!"
"Is she okay?"
"There's no way U.A. would allow major harm to one of their students, right?"
The spectators were worried about Izumi as she didn't get out of the way in time, or so it seemed. The zero-pointer lifted its fist, and Izumi was gone.
"What the!? Where'd she go?" Present Mic asked.
The spectators were also wondering where she was. While they were looking for her, one of them noticed something on the back of the zero-pointer that attacked her.
"Hey, doesn't that spot on the robot look off-color?"
Everyone looked to where the person was pointing and saw one spot on the back of the zero-pointer that was a lighter shade of green. While everyone was confused by this, Aizawa already knew what it was. Suddenly, the off-colored spot flew off, revealing it to be a tarp and Izumi hiding beneath it in her Ninja outfit.
"Whoa! Izumi Midoriya was hiding behind the robot and is wearing a different outfit! Hey, Erasure Head, what outfit is this one?"
"This is her Ninja costume. It gives her all the abilities of a ninja, like hiding beneath a tarp colored like the background or whatever she's hiding in."
"Wow! Izumi Midoriya pulls out another surprise twist thanks to her quirk. Let's give her a big hand for such a spectacular maneuver!"
The crowd cheered as Izumi jumped off the zero-pointer and passed all the robots. While she continued advancing, Todoroki and Bakugo had just made it to the robot army.
"Targets: lots!"
The three zero-pointers at the front tried to reach for the two boys but were suddenly covered with ice, stopping them in their tracks.
"So this what the other students had to face? I wish they had prepared something more challenging, especially since my dear old man is watching." Todoroki said as he ran through the legs of a frozen zero-pointer.
"Damn, icy-hot. Think you're better by showing off like that!?" Bakugo shouted as he flew over the robots. One broke through the ice and reached for Bakugo. Bakugo evaded its hand and flew towards the head. "Die!" He shouted as he let loose a series of explosions on the robot's head. With the head destroyed, the zero-pointer's body went limp. "There. Now no one can say crap about me not beating a zero-pointer." Bakugo often overheard some students talking about him and Izumi since they had the highest entrance exam scores. But they would say she was better since she beat a zero-pointer while he fled from it. While he didn't mind being compared to Izumi, he hated that he didn't kill a zero-pointer while she had. Now he checked that task off his checklist and shut up all the morons who doubted him.
While he and Todoroki tried to catch up to Izumi, the rest of the students reached the robots and were amazed by what they saw.
"Holy crap. Shoto Todoroki is a monster." A student with a blue headband said.
"Look! We can go between the legs!" Another student with scales on his arms pointed out.
As they approached the opening between the legs, Todoroki looked back to say something.
"I wouldn't if I were you." As Todoroki said this, the robot fell over. "I froze them while they were unbalanced on purpose."
He returned to the task of trying to catch up to Izumi.
"Damn it. Is he crazy!? Some of us could've been killed!" The student with scales said.
"Hey, weren't there two others who didn't get out in time?"
"We need to help them!"
The students rushed to try and aid their classmates. But then banging was heard from inside the robot. Suddenly, Kirishima burst out with his quirk.
"What the hell, Todoroki!? If it were anybody except me, they would've been killed."
As Kirishima finished his sentence, more banging was heard. That's when Tetsutetsu burst through the other robot, his body now made of steel.
"That damn icy bastard! If anyone else were under that robot, they would've been killed." He said.
"Aw, man! Our quirks are too similar!"
"Stop copying me, you copycat!"
Kirishima and Tetsutetsu yelled as they continued to run past the robots. All the other students began to fight or run away from the robots. Some of them even teamed up to get past more quickly. Back with the top three, Izumi continued to run until she made it to the next obstacle.
"And our front runner has reached the next obstacle: The Fall!" Present Mic shouted.
In front of Izumi was a humongous pit with various platforms strewn between her and the other side connected by ropes. Izumi smirked as she jumped onto one of the ropes and ran across without difficulty.
"Huh? Izumi runs on the rope with no trouble at all! How does she do it!?"
"Remember, her costume gives her all the abilities of a ninja. Including excellent balance and agility." Aizawa answered.
Todoroki and Bakugo reached the pit as Izumi reached her third platform. Falling even further behind, they pushed their quirks to the limit to catch up to her, with Bakugo flying over the pit and Todoroki using his ice to skate across the ropes. While they tried to ignore the drawbacks of their quirks, they soon reached their limits. Todoroki stopped on one platform to keep himself from freezing while Bakugo landed on another to rest his aching arms. Since they had to rest a bit, this gave Izumi a more prominent lead as she didn't have to stop. Bakugo and Todoroki could only watch as Izumi made it to the other side and continued the race.
"The flexibility of her quirk is astounding. No matter what, she never seems to be at a disadvantage." Todoroki commented.
"You may be ahead of me now, Izu, but I will only get stronger. Then, one day, I'll be able to stand by your side." Bakugo said to himself. Ever since the USJ, he's doubted himself. It was not his combat ability or strength, but if he could stay by Izumi's side. Seeing her after her fight with the League's strongest fighter angered him since he couldn't help her in time. Mineta's attack the next day only furthered his frustrations as, once again, he couldn't help Izumi when she was kidnapped. Ever since then, he's been training non-stop to become strong enough to protect her or at least help her when situations like those attacks happen.
While Todoroki and Bakugo were catching their breath, the other students caught up. Uraraka, Asui, and Yaoyorozu were the first to approach the ropes.
"Oh man, look how deep that is," Uraraka said.
"We'll have to be careful as we cross these ropes," Yaoyorozu added.
That's when Asui approached the edge. Before the two could ask what she was doing, Asui made a giant leap and landed on one of the ropes.
"Tsu!?" Uraraka and Yaoyorozu were shocked by her jump.
"Now I can show off my quirk," Asui said as she easily traversed the rope thanks to her quirk.
"Holy crap! Has Tsu always been able to jump that far?" Mina asked as she caught up to them.
While the three considered how to best cross the pit, they heard giggling behind them. They turned to see a girl with pink dreadlocks and wearing a lot of support gear approaching the edge.
"Yes. Now it's time for my babies to shine!" She said.
"Hey, what's with all that gear? I thought we weren't allowed to bring support items." Mina asked.
"The support course can bring all the support gear they want, as long as we're the ones who made it. It gives us a chance against you hero students who get special training with your quirks. Now behold, my cable hooks!"
Two hooks shot out from the girl's backpack and latched onto one of the platforms. She then jumped off and started to swing towards the platform. As she was about to hit it, she pulled up her feet, and her boots released air that allowed her to glide across the service of the pillar. She then shot more hooks that latched onto the next platform while the first two detached themselves from the first platform.
"Behold, these marvelous inventions were made by me: Mei Hatsume of the support course! I hope the support companies are watching."
The three hero students watched in awe as Mei continued towards the other side.
"Wow."
"She's really giving it her all."
"Well, this is a big chance for all students, not just those from the hero course."
Mina, Uraraka, and Yaoyorozu commented. Noticing the rest of the students were catching up, they made their way to some ropes and began to traverse them. Back with Midoriya, she continued running until she ran into the final obstacle.
"It looks like our front runner has reached the final obstacle: The Minefield!" Present Mic announced as Izumi saw large signs that warned of mines buried in the ground. "That's right! Mines are strewn about the track, so you better be careful where you step! Don't worry, they're not lethal. Just strong enough to make you wet your pants!"
"You're too into this," Aizawa complained.
"Hey, it's my job!"
"Hmm, so being first puts you at a disadvantage in this obstacle."
"Yeah. You don't want to go too fast and set off a mine. But simultaneously, go too slow, and the others catch up."
"I wonder if she has a costume to deal with this?"
"I'm interested in how that girl plans to pass this obstacle."
"She's pulled off amazing tricks before. I'm sure she'll have an ace up her sleeve."
Many of the heroes watching were commenting on Izumi and how she's done so far. Izumi thought for a moment before snapping her fingers.
"I got it! Stella."
"Right!"
Izumi and Stella began to spin around, and Izumi changed from her Ninja outfit into her Detective outfit. This outfit had a brown cape, suit, and a deerstalker hat, resembling Sherlock Holmes.
"Is she dressed like Sherlock Holmes? What is this? A detective outfit?" Present Mic asked.
"I believe that's exactly what it is," Aizawa answered.
"But what is she going to do? Detect the mines?"
"I believe she'll 'investigate' the area and discover where the mines are hidden."
Izumi knelt and began to examine the dirt.
"Hmm, this patch of soil has been disturbed. The loose soil and the strange shape prove a mine is buried here. And looking at a forty-five, no, forty-eight-degree angle, I can see another mine has been placed. If I follow the pattern, then."
Izumi continued to examine the minefield to find a path. Meanwhile, Todoroki and Bakugo had caught their breath and were now catching up to Izumi.
"Oh man, while Midoriya was investigating the minefield, Bakugo and Todoroki have caught up! What will she do now?" Present Mic commentated, but Izumi ignored him and focused on the minefield.
She continued until she had found it.
"Aha! A clear path!"
Izumi transformed back into her ninja outfit and ran across the minefield. But she was not setting off any mines.
"What!? Midoriya is completely avoiding the mines! It's like she knows where they are, but how!?" Present Mic said.
"Isn't it obvious? Her detective outfit wasn't just for show. It allowed her to find the mines and memorize a clear path. Now, in the more agile Ninja outfit, she is crossing the minefield without stepping on any of the mines." Aizawa answered.
"Amazing! Just how many outfits does she have!?"
"Twelve, from what I remember from her quirk description. But she can make more once she gets the archetype down."
"Whoa! A quirk like that must be among our students' strongest quirks. Take a look at our rising star, Izumi Midoriya!"
The crowd cheered as Izumi continued to cross the minefield. But then she heard the sounds of explosions and ice cracking behind her. She looked to see Bakugo and Todoroki catching up using their quirks.
"No hard feelings, Izu, but I won't let you win that easily!" Bakugo said as he flew over the minefield.
"I said I would beat you and intend to keep that promise," Todoroki said as he created a path of ice to go over the mines. He didn't care that it would make a path for the other students. He just needed to pass Izumi.
Izumi pulled out a kunai and jumped forward while turning to face the two boys. She then threw it at them. They both got ready to deflect the kunai, but it hit the ground between them. They were both confused until they noticed it hit a lump of dirt.
"Oh."
"Crap."
Todoroki and Bakugo said before the mine exploded. Izumi corrected herself as she landed and continued to run towards the finish line. Bakugo and Todoroki got back up and rushed forward. They tried to use their quirks, but they couldn't. Bakugo's arms were in too much pain, and Todoroki's right side was almost entirely covered by ice. They had no choice but to run the rest of the way. Izumi ran until she finally made it into the field.
"And our first-place winner is Izumi Midoriya!" Midnight announced.
Izumi transformed back into her gym outfit and was catching her breath. She had pushed herself to stay in front.
"Man, Kacchan, and Todoroki didn't make it easy. It's a good thing I trained my body," she said as she caught her breath.
"And you didn't even use One for All, just me." Stella pointed out.
"Shush, Stella! We can't let anyone know about that." Izumi said in a hushed tone.
"Oops, sorry."
While Izumi was talking with Stella, Bakugo, and Todoroki entered the field, with Bakugo taking second place and Todoroki taking third.
"Hey, Izu," Bakugo said as he approached Izumi.
"Hmm? Oh, what's up, Kacchan?"
"Good showing out there."
"Thanks."
"You may have won that game, but I'm taking first in the next one."
"I'm sure you'll give it your best, but so will I. Let's both do our best."
Izumi held out her fist to Bakugo. Bakugo just smiled and bumped it with his own.
"Right."
Todoroki stared at them from afar. While he didn't like the fact that he lost, he couldn't bring himself to be angry at Izumi. Bakugo, though, had defeated him in the race, and even now, Bakugo and Izumi were getting closer together, but he hadn't so much as had a conversation with her.
"I won't lose, not to you, Bakugo, nor to him. I'll win both this festival and her heart without his power." Todoroki said as he glared at Bakugo. He then looked up to see Endeavor looking at him in disappointment. Todoroki sneered and looked away from Endeavor.
While this was happening, the rest of the students had reached the minefield and attempted to cross it. Thanks to so many students trying to take Todoroki's ice path, it shattered under the weight. Now, the students had to navigate the minefield with their skills. Momo Yaoyorozu made a metal detector with her quirk and used it to avoid the mines. But as she was doing this.
"Finally!" Mineta shouted as he approached Yaoyorozu from the air with a purple ball in each of his hands. "Momo Yaoyorozu, I got you!"
"No!" Yaoyorozu looked back to see Mineta about to land on her back.
She closed her eyes and prepared for the disgusting things the little pervert had planned. But something unexpected happened. As Mineta placed the balls on her back, he jumped off them. Thanks to his quirk, the balls stick to others while repelling him. The force launched Mineta forward while nearly knocking down Yaoyorozu.
"Huh?" She was confused that Mineta didn't try anything perverted.
"Sero!"
"What?"
"Kaminari!"
"Huh?"
"And finally, Jiro!"
"What the!?"
Mineta had used the same trick he used on Yaoyorozu on Sero, Kaminari, and Jiro to jump over the entire minefield.
"Thanks for the lift. See you at the finish line!" Mineta said as he ran forward.
"Huh? What? You jerk!" Jiro yelled.
"He used us as stepping stones!" Sero said.
"Not cool, dude!" Kaminari shouted.
Yaoyorozu stood there dumbfounded.
"I was outplayed? By Mineta!?" She couldn't believe that Mineta had gotten one over her. Gritting her teeth, she pressed on. "No, I will not let that little purple sleaze ball get one over me! I'll get back at him in the next round."
Typically, Yaoyorozu wasn't one to hold grudges, but she didn't like that she was one of his stepping stones. Still, she had to admit that Mineta's idea to use his quirk to make students platforms over the minefield was a good idea. Soon, all forty-two spots were filled, and the game was over. The rest of the students left to their seats while the ones who passed stayed on the field for the next game. While this was happening, Vio Liettie watched from her seat above the field. Her gaze focused on Izumi.
"Good, excellent, Izumi. I hope you continue to impress and entertain me." She said with a devilish smile.
Nezu was standing in the hallway nearby and heard her words. This concerned him. While it wasn't evidence that she was evil or had insidious plans for Izumi, how she said it was disconcerting. He made a mental note to keep his eye on her throughout the games and dig up some more information about her.
And that's the end of the chapter. Thank you for reading it. I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave a review, and if you wish to support me, please consider donating to my pat-reon under TheCrimsonYinglet. Once again, thank you, and have a nice day.