Hey folks! We're finally to the tournament portion of the arc! This arc in particular is gonna on a little longer, given that there's more people in the tournament itself. I hope you enjoy this first part of the first round as we get into the meat of the story!

"It's finally time for the one-on-one matches to begin!" Present Mic exclaimed through the microphone as the crowd cheered excitedly in anticipation, "Already, we've got the lovely swordswoman Homura Kogetsu moving on to the next round with the bye!" he noted aloud, "Her opponent will be either of these two ladies coming up onto the stage from the Hero Course!" he added as the two fighters approached the stage, "From Class A, we have the froggy hopper Tsuyu Asui!" he introduced as the Frog Quirk user took on a ready stance, "And from Class B, we've got the mysteriously cool and collected Kleene Rutherford!" he introduced as the green-haired girl narrowed her eyes onto her opponent.

"Go for it, Tsu!" Rebecca and Ochaco cheered from the stands.

"Yeah, you've got this, Asu-! I mean, Tsu!" Izuku yelled, managing to correct himself in the nick of time. He and the girls were sitting with their classmates in a viewing section of the stadium. Class B's was right next to theirs.

"From what I've heard, Asui's a tough customer," Sen pointed out while folding his arms over his chest, "Your sister's not gonna win that easily, Jinn..." he noted over to the green-haired boy beside him.

"That's fine," he responded, "Even if the battle isn't easy, Kleene will win," he assured confidently, "We Rutherfords won't lose our winds before our opponents lose theirs," he vowed with narrowing eyes.

'Midnight was kind enough to give me and Shoji the chance to compete in this tournament...' Tsuyu noted to herself, glancing up to the stands to spot Mashirao seated amongst the others, 'Ojiro...' she began inwardly, readying her tongue, 'I'll win in your place!' she promised through her thoughts. As soon as the R-Rated Hero threw down her flail to signal the start of the match, the Frog Quirk user extended her tongue out in an attempt to ensnare Kleene. However, she was prepared.

"I'll take that wind from you now," she remarked. All of a sudden, green-glowing lines of energy appeared in a curved pattern along the right side of her face.

"Wait... what?!" Rebecca yelped in surprise.

"Her Quirk's an Ether-Type!" Kyoka realized, sounding just as shocked. They watched as wind started to swirl about Kleene, lifting her up into the air.

Kleene Rutherford! Quirk: Wind Snatch!

She can utilize the power of air as a defensive barricade or use it to deflect attacks! A great way to sweep opponents off their feet! Literally!

The second Tsuyu's tongue reached the swirling wind, it was blown away. She ribbited as she reeled it in, see her opponent float up above her without a hint of concern upon her face. With a wave of her arms, she made the air contort and essentially trap the Frog Quirk user. She tried to get out, but the moment she leapt into the wind, she was blown back.

"Your wind is stopped," Kleene declared, swinging her arms out to the side. All of a sudden, the air entrapment burst apart, with Tsuyu flying off from the field and landing onto the grass upon her back. She sat up with a sad look on her face, realizing that she had just lost.

"Yowza!" Mic exclaimed, "Just like that, Rutherford advances to the second round, riding on those strong winds!" he remarked loudly.

"Her defensives were impressive," Shota chimed in, "But I think we have yet to see what she can really do..." he noted. Looking down at her future opponent as she walked off the field, Homura narrowed her eyes. Her wind was quite strong indeed from what she saw. So she would have to find a way to counter it.

"Poor Asui..." Kyoka commented sadly, "She gets a second chance and gets thrown out in almost no time..." she pointed out, folding her arms over her chest. That being said, the Frog Quirk user seemed to be okay, taking a deep breath before heading off.

"Well, all of us are gonna have to do well for her sake!" Rebecca insisted as she clenched both of her fists tightly.

"Yeah!" Shiki agreed from nearby, "We're gonna win!" he declared proudly. Only time would tell if that notion would hold true.

The next few battles of the first round varied in both results and time. Denki lost to Ibara in three seconds, having shorted himself out with just one discharge before being ensnared by his opponent's vines. Next, Tenya's match against Mei lasted over ten minutes, with the latter showing off several of her support items that she had created. The whole battle was basically an advertisement. In the end, she stepped out of bounds to allow the Engine Quirk user to win.

"Well... that was something..." Rebecca commented with a sheepish smile, "What'd you think about that, Izu-?" She stopped her question upon noticing that her best friend was gone. "Uh, Izuku?" she uttered, looking around.

"His match is up next," Ochaco pointed out, getting her attention.

"Yeah, against that crazy-haired Gen Ed kid who went after our explosive guy..." Weisz mentioned, folding his arms over his chest, "How'd he winding up getting in over the others in the Hero Course?" he wondered aloud.

"Maybe Ojiro and Shoda really pulled their weight for their team?" Rikido guessed as a suggestion.

"Or maybe that other guy with the makeup did something?" Toru assumed. Rebecca watched as Izuku and Hitoshi made their way onto the battlefield, with the former looking somewhat nervous. Mashirao had warned him about Hitoshi's Quirk, which had something to do with mind control. All he had to do to avoid it was not respond to him.

"And... begin!" Midnight exclaimed as she swung down her flail.

"You know, that monkey was going off about his pride earlier," Hitoshi noted to the One For All inheritor, getting his attention, "but I really think he wasted his chance..." he muttered out. Izuku willed himself not to respond, as much as he wanted to. "So the girl's name is Bluegarden, huh?" Hitoshi suddenly inquired, causing his opponent's eyes to jolt open.

'W-What?' he stammered inwardly.

"Oh shit..." Kyoka mumbled out while listening thanks to her jacks, widening her eyes.

"What's wrong, Kyoka?" Tsuyu asked of the Earphone Jack Quirk user.

"Either the guy down there's an idiot, or he actually wants Midoriya to snap..." she noted in reply, glancing over nervously to Rebecca.

"I gotta say, you lucked out with someone like her," Hitoshi remarked to his foe, whose eyes were shaking, "Then again, she might just be pitying you... or maybe using you..." he listed off as suggestions. Unconsciously, Izuku gnashed his teeth together. Green sparks crackled around his body as he was ready to use Full Cowling and take his opponent down in one fell swoop. "Well... in the end, I guess it makes you look cool if everyone thinks you're with her," Hitoshi continued, "They probably think you-"

"SHUT UP!" Izuku roared as he was about to lunge forward. And then he blanked out.

"AGH!" Mashirao groaned as he stood up from his seat, "I warned him not to say anything!" he pointed out emphatically.

"Wait, what?" Rebecca uttered in confusion, "What happened?" she asked, blinking rapidly.

"I think the guy provoked Midoriya into lashing out..." Kyoka answered to get her attention, "And he's basically got him under his thumb now, right Ojiro?" she guessed of the Tail Quirk user.

"Yeah..." he responded with a nod, grimacing in frustration as they watched Izuku start to turn around and begin walking out of the ring.

"Ah, what's he doing?!" Shiki exclaimed in shock.

"If he goes out of bounds, he'll lose the match!" Tenya emphatically pointed out.

"Izuku..." Rebecca uttered out worriedly. Her best friend was cursing himself for falling for Hitoshi's mind games. He was about to lose just because of that. And he didn't want to. Not for All Might, or his friends who had helped him grow stronger. Especially Rebecca. Thinking of her, Izuku inwardly gnashed his teeth together.

The person he didn't want to fail most was probably screaming his name, trying desperately to wake him up. He wanted to move so desperately. And then all of a sudden, he saw faces. There were about eight of them, all staring with piercing white eyes. Energy suddenly surged through him as his left pointer and middle fingers twitched before flicking, unleashing a blast of air that blew through the field, causing Hitoshi to flinch from its force.

Having recovered his consciousness, Izuku panted in exhaustion. He didn't move his fingers, which were now broken. It was whomever he saw in that one instant. Either way, he was back. Everyone in the 1-A viewing aside from Katsuki and Shoto exhaled with relief, especially Rebecca. Hitoshi desperately tried to get his opponent to talk again in order to use his Quirk. But ultimately, he wound up knocked out of the ring in an instant by a 5% Detroit Smash straight to his gut.

It was an impulsive move on Izuku's part. And he looked quite angry. But thinking about it, it must've been a logical ruse on Hitoshi's part to try and provoke him by saying stuff about his friends. As Midnight declared his victory, he hopped down from the stands and approached the Brainwashing Quirk user.

"You okay?" he asked, much to his surprise as he saw the One For All inheritor extend his hand out to him.

"Uh... yeah..." he responded, getting back onto his feet without his former foe's help. When asked about why wanted to be a hero, Hitoshi just said that he didn't want to be looked at as a villain with the kind of Quirk he had. And as his classmates cheered him on back in the stands, he vowed that he'd become a part of the Hero Course one day. That left Izuku with a lot to think about going forward as he cradled his broken fingers.

"Izuku!" Rebecca exclaimed the moment she burst into the nurse's office. All Might spat up blood in surprise as he shivered.

"Oh, Young Bluegarden..." he greeted, seeing her run over to the bed where the freckled teen lied.

"Hey Rebe-" He was interjected as the Leaper Quirk user embraced him warmly. His face exploded into a bright red blush, which faded once he felt her tremble against him. "Are... you okay?" he asked her in concern.

"Kyoka told me what that guy said to rile you up..." she answered, causing him to blink in surprise before he wrapped his arms around her.

"Sorry..." he apologized, "I know he didn't mean it," he pointed out, "Like you said, he was just riling me up," he noted with a soft smile.

"Yeah," she affirmed as she nodded, "How're his fingers?" she asked Recovery Girl after pulling away.

"He'll be fine before his next match," she assured in reply, "Just needs something for his stamina and bandages to be safe," she noted.

"I could help with that~..." Sister sang as an offer as she grinned cheekily.

"NO!" Recovery Girl shouted, whacking her on the head with her cane.

"Watch it, you old hag!" she yelled back angrily. Both Izuku and Rebecca stared on blankly at the bickering nurses.

"Ahem," All Might awkwardly coughed, getting their attentions, "I'd imagine you'd wanna see who you'll face next, Young Midoriya," he pointed out to his successor.

"O-Oh, right!" he stammered in reply, getting out of the bed, "Let's go!" he insisted to Rebecca, who giggled before following him out. As the number one hero watched them go, he recalled what Izuku had told him about the previous wielders of One For All, and how he was included. He dreaded the thought of having to tell his successor about the great evil he was bound to likely face.

"AGH!" Mezo yelped in agony, keeling over onto his left knee and breathing heavily beneath his mask. Kris, like Kleene, was a very difficult opponent thanks to his wind-based Quirk. Though unlike his sister, his wind blew against the Dupli-Arms Quirk user rather than pull him in.

"You're obviously strong," he pointed out to his opponent, "I'm glad that I wound up having to fight you," he mentioned, holding up his fingers in the form of a seal as Ether lines flowed along his arms.

Kris Rutherford! Quirk: Wind Rage!

With his control of wind, he can move as fast as he can with it! The wind gets much stronger whenever he fights with zeal! Get too close, and he'll blow you away!

"Skymech Ninjutsu Attack..." Kris began as he leapt up, swinging both of his arms back, "Windstorm Slash!" he exclaimed, unleashing a strong blast of wind that struck Mezo fiercely, also leaving behind an x-shaped crater in the field. The Dupli-Arms Quirk user found himself knocked onto the ground from the attack, struggling to get back up.

"I..." he uttered out, exhaling a frustrated sigh, "I yield..." he finally said.

"Shoji has yielded!" Midnight announced, aiming her flail toward Kris, "Rutherford wins and advances to the next round!" she added as the crowd cheered.

"Hm," the Wind Rage Quirk user huffed, turning around and walking off.

"So he and that Kleene girl have the same Quirk?" Ochaco inquired from the stands.

"I'm not really sure..." Momo responded, "We'll have to wait and see what Shoji says when he gets back," she pointed out, watching the Dupli-Arms Quirk user get carried off the field via a stretcher by robots.

"Midoriya's definitely gonna need a plan for that guy..." Eijiro noted while narrowing his eyes.

"Indeed," Homura agreed, "But so long as he's driven to emerge victorious, then he shall," she affirmed confidently. The next match pitted Shoto against Hanta. Izuku and Rebecca returned, being told the results of the previous match. And then... ice almost crashed into them.

"AAAAHHH!" Rebecca shrieked, having to lean back in her seat along with everyone else. There was a giant mountain of ice that practically towered over the whole stadium, having been produced by none other than the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user. If he hadn't already made a statement about how serious he was about winning, he did now. Everyone was starting to grow nervous about facing him...

And there you have it! I wanted to get as many of the first-round matches done to start the tournament as soon as possible, so there'll be some quick ones coming as well. Hope you're looking forward to how the other battles unfold!