Hey guys, I'm back again with the next chapter of this story! I'm glad to see that most of you seemed to enjoy the last chapter and Izuku's juicy lemon scene with Momo! This chapter will pick up where the previous one left off and will officially start the Sports Festival arc. Which I've changed slightly so that it will be more like a quirk exhibition to better fit the university setting. So, I hope you're all looking forward to that!
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Well, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic!
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
"All Might/All Might" (Muscular Form)
"Announcer"
Quirk
Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia or any of its characters.
(U.A. University Conference Room)
"I did an extensive search through our database for the name 'Shigaraki' and his quirk which seems to disintegrate whatever he touches..." A police detective explained as he scanned through a stack of papers he was holding. "I scoured through everyone aged in their 20s and 30s...but I couldn't find any matches. The same goes for this 'Kurogiri' with the 'warp gate' quirk. So, either they've never been hit by the census or they're using aliases. In any case, as far as we know, they're basically ghosts. They obviously never submitted their quirk registration forms."
"Damn it...so what yer gettin' at is that we've got nothin' to go on." Snipe said in a frustrated tone, releasing a heavy sigh as he leaned back in his seat. "And once their ringleader...the hell did you say his name was? 'Shigaraki' right? Well, once he heals from those gunshots, he'll be back to bite us in the ass."
"The ringleader, eh..." All Might muttered as he stroked his chin, his brow furrowing a bit. "I wonder..."
"What is it, All Might?" Nezu asked, perking up a bit in his seat. "Do you have some insight for us?"
"Now that I've had some time to process what happened, nothing about what happened seems normal. Just look at how meticulously they planned everything out. I have to imagine, under normal circumstances, they wouldn't have tried something so audacious." All Might explained as he clasped his hands on top of the table, his narrowing slightly. "We're talking about someone who, out of nowhere, started spouting some ridiculous ideology. And, while he didn't reveal anything about his own quirk, he wouldn't shut up about this 'Nomu' thing's abilities. And when things weren't going his way, he started throwing a tantrum. Well...I suppose the constant boasting of the Nomu's quirks was meant to provoke me."
"That is odd." Nezu agreed as he slowly nodded his head. "It seems particularly foolish in a battle against heroes to reveal one's quirks and lose the element of surprise."
"Running his mouth about some plausible, yet deluded ideology. Bragging about the shiny, new toy he brought..." All Might continued, tapping his finger on the tabletop as he looked at his fellow teachers and staff members. "And naively thinking that everything would go just the way he wanted. If we think logically about how this attack was carried out, this Shigaraki person..."
"Is nothing but a fucking spoiled, man-child..." Rumi spat out in a tone that barely held back how pissed off she seemed to be, her red eyes narrowed dangerously as she leaned against a wall near the back of the conference room. The rabbit pro hero's arms were crossed underneath her chest as she tightly gripped her elbows, her muscles flexing slightly. "He couldn't hide how much of god damn brat he is. That cocky attitude he had, where he thought that he could do whatever the hell he wanted, really fucking pissed me off."
"So what you're getting at, is that we're likely dealing with a kid who has too much power?" Midnight chimed in, looking over the incident report that was laid out in front of her. "Maybe he never received general quirk counseling when he was in elementary school?"
"What in Sam Hill does that have to do with anything?" Snipe asked as he sighed once again, resting his head on his palm. "All I know is, we need to deal with this varmint quickly, or else he'll become a real thorn in our side."
"We apprehended a total of 72 total villains after the attack." The police detective said, tapping the papers he was holding with the back of his hand. "They were mostly bottom-feeding thugs, but...the real question is, why would so many of them agree to follow the orders of some man-child."
"A man-child huh?" Nezu contemplated as he slightly leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. "In certain ways, he's a lot like our students. He has potential to grow...now if only he had a proper mentor to guide him."
(Same Time: Class 1-A's Homeroom)
"Alright everyone, pay attention!" Tenya exclaimed, standing at the front of the classroom. "Take your seats! We're about to begin the morning's homeroom period!"
"You're the only one who's not in their seat." Kyoka joked which caused several of the other students to chuckle in amusement. "Why don't you sit down, Ida?"
"Morning." A sudden voice coming from the front door surprised the students of class 1-A. However, what shocked them even more was that the person who spoke appeared to be their homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa, his face completely covered in bandages and one of his arms in a sling. "Everyone, to your seats, that includes you, Ida."
"I'm glad to see you're alright, sensei." Ida said as he walked over to his seat and sat back down. "You made a swift recovery."
"I don't think you can really call that 'alright'." Ochaco said in a concerned tone, watching as Aizawa took his place at the podium in front of the class. "Are you sure you should be back already, sensei?"
"Don't concern yourselves over me. After all, the battle hasn't really ended for you all yet." Aizawa said cryptically which caused the students to whisper and speculate amongst themselves. "U.A. University's annual sports exhibition is right around the corner."
"A sports exhibition?" Mina parroted, quirking an eyebrow as her antennae twitched slightly. "That sounds surprisingly normal."
"Oi, we just had a bunch of villains knock down our damn front door." Bakugo said with a scowl as he drummed his fingers along the top of his desk. "Is holding some 'exhibition' really a good idea?"
"This event is necessary. We need to show that U.A. University's crisis management protocols are sound. At least, that's what I've been told. Compared to previous years, they're seriously upping the police presence...fives as much apparently. But that's beside the point." Aizawa explained, looking over his class as he locked eyes with several students. "Our sports exhibition will be the greatest opportunity you have to show off your quirk and skills. You'll have most of the eyes in the country on you. So, this is not an event we can cancel because of a few villains."
"Man, it still doesn't seem like a good idea to me." Mineta muttered in a shaky voice as he tightly gripped the edge of his desk. "We shouldn't be worrying about some exhibition."
"Our sports exhibition is one of the biggest events in Japan." Aizawa continued, dismissing Mineta's concerns with a shake of his head. "We used to treat the Olympics as the world's sports exhibition. When they'd come around, the entire country would get caught up in the excitement. But as you all know, that event has shrunk down in scale considerably and is now a shell of its former self. And as far as Japan is concerned, U.A. University's sports exhibition has completely taken its place."
"All the top heroes in the country will be watching." Momo spoke up as she sat a bit straighter in her seat. "They'll definitely be scouting promising recruits for their hero agencies."
"Heh, they'll be looking to hire us on as sidekicks once we graduate." Kaminari said with a smirk, snapping his fingers which caused a small spark of electricity. "I'll have to put on a show for everyone watching."
"You seem to forget that a lot of those sidekicks never end up breaking out and going solo. They end up being stuck as sidekicks forever." Kyoka added as she glanced over at Kaminari, causing him to click his tongue in disappointment. "That'll be you if you're not careful, you scatterbrain."
"It's to be expected that you'll gain some valuable experience and a nice boost in popularity if you end up being picked by a big-name hero." Aizawa continued as he gazed out at his students, ensuring that he had their full attention. "But you must remember that your time is limited. Go out there and show the pros what you're made of, and you'll blaze a brighter future for yourself. This opportunity only comes once a year, so give it everything you've got. If you all want to be pro heroes, this is an event you can't miss."
(Several Hours Later: U.A. University's Cafeteria)
"Man, those villains attacking the training facility was exciting..." Kirishima said in an excited tone, a large grin spreading across his face. "But I'm seriously getting pumped now!"
"If we show our stuff here, that's a big step toward becoming a pro hero." Sero said as he crossed his arms and nodded his head in agreement. "We've got to go all out!"
"Man, everyone is getting excited." Izuku said, poking at his food as he watched the students around them chatter about the sports exhibition. "It looks like they really took what Aizawa-sensei said to heart."
"Aren't you excited too, Izuku-chan?" Tsuyu asked as she set her tray of food down and sat across from the green-haired man. "This a very big event for us."
"Of course he's excited!" Ochaco exclaimed, practically slamming her tray down as she gazed at her friends, a surprisingly fiery determination burning in her eyes. "At the sports exhibition, we'll all do our best!"
"What's up with your face, Ochaco-chan?" Tsuyu asked in a confused tone as she cocked her head slightly and pressed a finger to her chin. "I've never seen you like this before."
"Maybe it's her time of-" Mineta started to say, but was cutoff when Tsuyu's tongue suddenly lashed out and slapped him across the face. "OW! What the hell, Tsuyu!"
"Mineta-chan, you do not want to finish that sentence." Tsuyu said as she gazed at Mineta with her large, unblinking eyes, causing him to wince in fear. It was then that Mineat noticed that the other girls at the table were glaring at him as well. "Trust me, it won't end well for you."
"Got it, I'll shut up now..." Mineta said in a shaky tone, rapidly nodding his head before he took his food and went to sit with some of the other male students.
"Good, now that he's gone..." Tsuyu said as she turned back toward the rest of the group. "What's got you all worked up, Ochaco-chan?"
"Well, it's just like Aizawa-sensei said, the sports exhibition will be a great way to show our skills and maybe even impress some pro heroes..." Ochaco replied, finally sitting down next to Tsuyu. A faint blush of embarrassment spread across Ochaco's face as she began to rub the back of her head. "And...I just really need to make a good impression and get scouted..."
"Oh, why are you getting all flustered for, Ochaco?" Mina asked with a grin as she reached across the table and patted her friend on the shoulder. "You see Tsuyu, one of the main reasons Ochaco wants to become a pro hero is to make boku bucks!"
"Seriously Mina?" Momo said, releasing an exasperated sigh as she noticed Ochaco's face flush even brighter red, now fidgeting her seat. "Did you have to put it so bluntly?"
"For real, Mina..." Kyoka added before she paused to take a bite from the sandwich she had grabbed. "You're making Ochaco seem like some money grubber."
"No, no, it's fine guys...what she said isn't wrong. Although, I would have preferred if she chose her words differently..." Ochaco said, shooting the pink-skinned girl an annoyed look. Mina merely smirked before she clapped her hands together and bowed her head apologetically. "Anyways...I know it sounds lame, especially when most of you probably have better reasons for wanting to become a pro hero...but, my family runs a construction company and business has been pretty bad lately...so, money has been really tight. I'd appreciate it if you guys didn't tell anyone else."
"There's nothing wrong with wanting a more comfortable lifestyle." Tsuyu said as she tilted her head a bit, locking eyes with Ochaco. "But, with your quirk, couldn't you help cut costs?"
"Right?! That's what I told my dad." Ochaco said, releasing a light sigh as she rested her head on her palm. "But...he told me that he'd rather I chase my own dreams...then...take my parents on a trip to Hawaii." Pausing for a moment, Ochaco sniffled as she seemingly fought back tears. "So, I will become a pro hero. I'll make good money...so that my mom and dad can have easier lives."
"It's a great dream, Ochaco...wanting to help out your parents." Izuku said with a soft smile as he gently gripped Ochaco's hands. "And I'll help you out any way that I can."
"We all will, Ochaco." Momo said with a smile of her own, the rest of her friends nodding in agreement. "So, don't hesitate to lean on us for support."
"Thanks guys, that really means a lot." Ochaco said with a beaming smile as wiped away a tear that had formed in the corner of her eye. Once she had regained her composure, Ochaco cocked her head slightly and stared at Momo for several moments. "You know, Momo...we never asked you about how your date with Izuku went yesterday."
"That's right!" Mina exclaimed, her eyes lighting up in excitement as she practically lept across the table and plopped down right next to Momo. "Tell us all about it! Don't leave out anything!"
"Ugh, I was really hoping you guys had forgotten about that..." Momo grumbled as she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Do I really have to go over our date?"
"Ochaco told us all about her date with Izuku, it's only fair you do the same..." Kyoka said with a smirk, resting her elbows on the table and leaning closer toward Momo. "And don't even think about leaving out any of the dirty details."
"I HAVE ARRIVED...TO EAT LUNCH!" Each of the girls instantly tensed up when All Might suddenly showed up, dashing into the cafeteria. Izuku quirked an eyebrow when he saw All Might hold up a small, boxed lunch. "Young Midoriya, would you care to join me!?"
"Sure thing, All Might." Izuku said as he excused himself and stood up from his seat. "I'll see you guys later."
"Bye, bye, Izuku!" Mina exclaimed, waving energetically as she watched Izuku leave with All Might. However, as Izuku left with Japan's number-one hero, no one noticed that Todoroki was watching them intently. Once Izuku and All Might were out of sight, Mine grinned and turned her attention back to Momo. "Okay girl, start talking."
(U.A. University Staff Break Room)
"One hour!" Izuku shouted in shock as he stared wide-eyed at All Might. "Are you serious!?"
"Yes...my time limit is getting shorter every day it seems." All Might, now in his skinny form, said, pouring Izuku and himself some tea. "I can barely maintain my muscle form for an hour."
"It's gotten that bad..." Izuku muttered as he stared down at the floor, tightly gripping the legs of his pants. "All Might, I'm so sor-"
"There's no need to apologize!" All Might exclaimed, cutting Izuku off as some blood spurted from the corners of his mouth. After wiping his mouth, All Might smiled at Izuku. "Besides...if you and Mirko hadn't helped...I could be in even worse shape. You handled yourself well, Young Midoriya." Despite his lowered head, All Might could tell that a small smile was on Izuku's face. "But...what I really want to talk to you about is the sports exhibition. I hate to darken the mood...but, the time I've got left as the Symbol of Peace is quickly running out."
"I know...I've known for a long time now that day was coming..." Izuku said in a saddened tone as he grit his teeth in frustration. "I've been with All Might for so long...I thought he would be a hero forever...but seeing him now...he really doesn't have much left in him...I can see it in his eyes. Even if he won't admit it, he's tired and worn down."
"And among those with villainous intent..." All Might, his vibrant blue eyes narrowing slightly as he stared at his successor. "There are some who have started to realize that. Young Midoriya, I granted my power so that you may succeed, and eventually, surpass me! This sports exhibition...it's an event where the whole country will be watching! And that means one thing for us! It's an opportunity we've long been waiting for! You, Young Midoriya! The next All Might...the blooming symbol...I need you to tell the whole world...'I AM HERE!'"
"I know we've discussed situations like this in the past..." Izuku said in a slightly confused tone as he quirked an eyebrow. "But how exactly am I supposed to do that?"
"You remember how the sports exhibition works, right?" All Might asked, crossing his arms over his chest as a small smile spread across his face. "We've watched them together plenty of times in the past. Ah, that was always fun, cheering on promising young heroes."
"Of course, I remember. The ones we went to watch in person were amazing. We saw some amazing matches." Izuku said as he leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling, reminiscing on some of the quieter, quality time he had spent with All Might over the years. "During the sports exhibition, members of the support, business, general studies, and hero courses are all grouped together. We're arranged by grade level, and then compete in preliminary events. The winners of those events then move on to the main stage. It's sort of like a round-robin tournament for each grade level."
"Good. You do remember how the exhibition goes!" All Might exclaimed excitedly, pointing at Izuku with both hands. "This is your chance to gain some mass appeal and get your name out there. No more of that sneaky, vigilante work you've been doing!"
"Heh, yeah, that's not a good way to stand out." Izuku said as he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "But you're right, All Might. I need to give the world a good first impression and show them what I can do."
"That's what I like to hear." All Might said with a smile as he reached over and gently patted Izuku's shoulder. "Just use that passion and drive you've shown me over the years and you'll definitely win over the crowd. You've been growing more confident over the past few months, Young Midoriya. I know you'll do great."
(Several Hours Later: Class 1-A)
"Uhmmmm..." Ochaco said in a confused tone, standing at the class doorway as she stared at a wall of students that were blocking the hall, all of them whispering and muttering amongst themselves. "What the hell is going on here?"
"They're obviously scouting out their competition..." Bakugo replied as he shoved his hands into his pockets and approached the walls of people. "We're the students who survived a villain attack. It makes sense they'd want a look before the sports exhibition." With his face twisting in annoyance, Bakugo fiercely glared at the students gathered in front of their classroom. "But there's no point. Out of my damn way, fucking roadblocks."
"Bakugo!" Ida exclaimed in a frustrated tone, pushing up his glasses. "Can we please ease up on the cursing and not call people we don't even know 'roadblocks'?!"
"It's fine, he's right. We did come here to scope out the students who survived a villain attack." One student spoke up from the back of the crowd. Soon, the students began to separate, allowing a single person to walk to the front of the crowd. The student who had spoken up was a relatively tall young man with messy, indigo-colored hair that flared out in large tufts around his head. His eyes were purple with white pupils and were thin and somewhat triangular, pointing downward, with no visible eyelashes. He also had noticeable dark eye bags underneath his eyes. "But jeez, this guy sure is modest." The student's sarcastic tone caused Bakugo to grit his teeth in irritation. "Are all the students in the hero course like this hothead?"
"Tch." Bakugo scoffed as he glared fiercely at the indigo-haired student. "You got something to say to me, ya god damn cannon fodder. Come on, spit it out."
"That's enough, Kachan!" Izuku said, stepping in between Katsuki and the unknown student as he tried to de-escalate the situation. Bakugo looked momentarily surprised, seeing Izuku step up to mediate. "There's no need to fight. Just calm down, please." Turning to face the unknown student, Izuku chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that."
"Good to know at least some of you in the hero course have manners." The indigo-haired student teased which caused a low growl to rumble in Bakugo's throat. "But I gotta say, I'm a tad disappointed if this is what you guys have to offer. Those of us who didn't make the cut for the hero course were stuck in general studies or various other tracks. There's actually quite a lot of us, did you know that?" Now locking eyes directly with Izuku, the unknown student took a step closer. "Depending on the results of the exhibition, they might consider transferring us to the hero course...and I believe the opposite is possible for you all. So yes, I am scoping out my competition. For a general studies student like me...this'll be the perfect opportunity to knock you off your pedestal. So, consider this a declaration of war."
"This guy..." Izuku thought, staring at the indigo-haired student in surprise. "He's got guts."
"Hey! I'm from Class 1-B right next door! The name's Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu!" Another student suddenly exclaimed as they pushed their way through the crowd. Tesutetsu was a young man with chin-length, messy gray hair, which was rather peculiar in that it never seemed to move. He also had black eyes that were tilted dramatically inwards, each lined with a very thick, jagged, tan-colored substance, which was presumably his eyelashes. He didn't appear to have any notable eyebrows, and, like Eijiro Kirishima, he had rows of sharp, pointed teeth. "I heard you guys fought some villains and wanted to find out more, but all I'm seeing is this arrogant bastard!"
"Oh god, please no..." Izuku thought, releasing a heavy sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can only deal with one Kachan."
"You better not make fools of the hero course at the exhibition!" Tetsutetsu shouted as he pointed at the students of Class 1-A. However, to Izuku, and everyone else's surprise, Bakugo didn't seem fazed by Tetsutesu's outburst. Instead, Bakugo merely rolled his eyes and began to force his way through the crowd of students. "Oi! Are you listening to me!?"
"Hey, Bakugo! Where do you think you're going!?" Kirishima exclaimed, watching as Katsuki shoved his way past a few students. "Thanks to you, everyone is all riled up!"
"Not my problem." Bakugo said as he briefly glanced back at his classmates. "I'm aiming for the top. Why should I care?"
"Tch!" Kirishima scoffed, watching Bakugo disappear into the crowd of students. Once Bakugo was out of sight, Kirishima released a light sigh and rubbed the back of his head. "I'll give Bakugo one thing, his straightforwardness is pretty manly."
"Aiming for the top..." Fumikage Tokoyami muttered as he stroked his chin. Tokoyami was a short young man with a head that resembled a black bird, possibly supposed to resemble that of a crow or a raven. He had a tan, yellowish beak, which was slightly hooked down at the end. He sported thin, red eyes with a small black pupil, one on each side of his head, and a red choker around his neck. Despite the appearance of his head, however, his body looked like an average human, with relatively fair skin. "He does have a point."
"Bah! Don't fall for this bullshit!" Kamikari grumbled jabbing an annoyed finger toward the crowd of students outside their classroom. "All he's doing is turning the other classes against us."
"Everyone has their own motivations for why they want to become a hero...and I have my own..." Izuku thought, staring down at his hand for several moments before clenching it. "I need to give it my all and show the world that All Might made the right choice, choosing me as his successor."
"Whatcha thinking about, Izuku!?" Midoriya was pulled from his thoughts when he was suddenly glomped from behind. Looking back, he was met with Mina's smiling face. "You had this serious look on your face."
"Oh, it's nothing, Mina. Just getting excited for the sports exhibition." Izuku said with a smile of his own, used to Mina's clingy and over-affectionate nature. "So, what's up? Are you guys ready to leave?"
"Actually, about the sports exhibition..." Mina replied with a chuckle as her smile widened, her hold on Izuku tightening a bit. "I already worked it out with the others, after the sports exhibition, you're going on a date with me next!"
(Two Weeks Later: Outside of U.A. University)
"Ugh, this security checkpoint is taking forever..." A reporter grumbled, impatiently tapping her foot as she huffed and crossed her arms. "We've been stuck out here for almost two hours."
"Can you blame them for upping their security? They're on high alert after that villain attack." The reporter's cameraman said as he took a moment to inspect his camera. "A ton of people were saying they should have just canceled the sports exhibition altogether."
"HA! Controversy means even higher ratings for us!" The reporter exclaimed with a smirk, pumping her fist into the air, microphone in her hand. Moments later, fireworks began to go off near the stadium, where the exhibition would be held. "And at the center of everything is Class 1-A!"
Within U.A. University's grounds, the crowd was lively as the press and people who came simply to watch the exhibition bounced between food stalls. Everyone in attendance seemed to be bustling with energy as they made their way toward the stadium's entrance. Scattered amongst the crowds were several pro-heroes, there either to simply enjoy the event or scout potential prospects for their agencies.
"Most years, the third years are who you want to look out for because it's their last chance to show what they've got. But, things are different this year. Everyone has their eyes on the first years." Kamui Wood said as he stared at the excited crowd, overhearing many of them discussing what they were excited to see. "I would have liked to do some scouting of my own."
"Eh, what can ya do." Death Arms said, shrugging his shoulders. Death Arms was a very tall, muscular man of a wide build with slightly tanned skin. He had a square jaw that jutted out a notable amount, with small eyes and short white hair, spiked out behind his head. For his hero costume, he wore a large headband with a yellow and black-striped caution pattern, matching his thick wrist guards and the belt around his waist. He also sported a square buckle with a triangular decoration in its center. He wore what looked to be a cyan-colored cardigan, which exposed his lower torso and the center of his pectorals, held onto his chest on each side by small metal nuts. His pants were a dark blue, with a white stripe down each side, and were slightly baggy on him, and his shoes were plain black with a simple design. "They asked us to work as security detail."
"Looks like they called pro-heroes from all over the country." Mount Lady said before she took a bit from one of her takoyaki. Poking her pick into another piece of takoyaki, Mount Lady looked at the stadium. "It's been a while...I wonder if I'll see that Izuku kid. I heard he had gotten into Class 1-A...which is weird, I could have sworn he said that he had no quirk. I'll have to keep my eye on him."
(Inside the Stadium: Class 1-A Prep Room)
"Is everyone prepared?!" Ida exclaimed, bouncing around the room and checking in on each of his classmates. "The event is about to begin!"
"Boo, I wanted to wear my costume." Mina grumbled as she pouted and tugged on her jersey. "These gym clothes are so boring."
"Costumes are not allowed..." Ojiro said, his tail slowly moving back and forth behind him. "It has to do with fairness."
"Everyone seems surprisingly calm..." Izuku thought as he gazed around the room at his classmates. "I guess they're all ready to give it their all."
"Midoriya." Izuku perked up a bit when he his name. Turning his head, Izuku quirked an eyebrow when he saw Todoroki approaching him. "The other day when those villains attacked, you helped All Might and Mirko defeat that monster they had with them. You're strong, far stronger than you let on." Izuku fully turned around, now locking eyes with Todoroki. "All Might clearly has his eye on you, I won't pry into why that is. But...I will defeat you."
"Hey man, why are you trying to pick a fight now?" Kirishima said as he walked over and placed a hand on Todoroki's shoulder. "We're about to head out there."
"I don't really care." Todoroki said in a cold tone, shrugging off Kirishima's hand. "I'm not gonna try and pretend to be friends with you all."
"Todoroki...I'm not sure why you felt the need to tell me you'll beat me." Izuku said as he balled his fists, a burning determination flashing in his eyes. Todoroki was surprised when he saw a few cracks of green electricity spark around Izuku's body. "You're clearly strong as well. But, everyone...even students from the other courses are aiming for the top. And...there's no way I'm gonna let myself fall behind. I'm aiming for the top as well, with everything I've got."
"Okay." Todoroki said, before turning and walking away. However, Izuku could have sworn he saw a small smile on Todoroki's face as he turned around. "Show me why All Might is so interested in you, Midoriya."
"Class 1-A?" An event official said as she poked her head into the room. With a sweet smile, the woman opened the door and stepped into the room. "Everything is ready. If you'll follow me, I'll lead you all into the stadium."
All of the students of Class 1-A shared brief look before they followed the official out of the room. One by one, students silently exited, each of their faces filled with different emotions. Some looked stoic and confident, while others seemed nervous and anxious. Soon, Izuku was the last student left in the room, appearing to be in deep thought. After a few moments, Izuku exhaled and dashed out of the room, rejoining Ochaco and the other girls.
"All Might wants me to tell the world that I'm here..." Izuku thought, hearing the rumbling roar of the crowd as the students walked down the tunnel leading to the main stage. "I'll give them a show they won't forget."
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! The time has finally arrived! The first years are about to walk onto the stage!" Present Mic's booming voice echoed throughout the stadium, followed by thunderous cheers from the crowd. "It's time for U.A. University's sports exhibition! The one time each year when our heroes-to-be compete in a relentless, epic battle! First up...you all know who I'm talking about! The stunning, rising stars who staved off a villain attack with their sheer willpower!" The crowd's cheers were almost deafening as the students of Class 1-A walked out into the stadium. "It's class A!"
"Wow...this crowd is nuts." Izuku muttered, feeling a chill run down his spine as a sudden rush of anxiousness washed over him. "I can barely hear myself think."
"And we're expected to put on our best performance in front of so many people." Ida said as he adjusted his glasses, appearing to be completely calm despite the rowdy crowd. "I guess that's just one more skill we'll need to learn if we wish to become pro heroes."
"I think they're giving us a bit too much credit..." Kirishima said with a nervous smile, basking in the crowd's cheers and applause. "But, we won't let a huge crowd like this shake us up, right, Bakugo?"
"Nah, I'm good." Bakugo replied as he punched his fist into his palm. "In fact, I'm getting even more pumped up."
"Following is class B, it's classes C, D, and E of general studies!" Slowly, the rest of the students participating in the exhibition began filtering into the stadium. "And here comes the support course classes, F, G, and H! After them are students from the business course!"
"Tch, they they're wheeling us out here to make the students in the hero course look good." One of the students from the general studies course scoffed as he crossed his arms. "Makes it hard for me to get excited."
"Students! Let me have your attention!" Hearing this sudden announcement, all of the students on the stage turned their attention toward where the voice was coming from. Turning around, they were surprised to see that the R-rated hero, Midnight, appeared to be one of the officials. "It's now time for you all to pledge the athlete's oath!" Several of the students began to mutter amongst themselves, many of the male students openly ogling and catcalling the seductive hero. "Alright, that's enough! Shut your traps! The student representative is...from Class 1-A, Katsuki Bakugo!"
"Kacchan?" Izuku muttered in a confused tone, watching as Bakguo approached the raised platform Midnight was standing on, seeming to be completely disinterested. "I can only assume they picked him because he placed first in the entrance exam." Exhaling through his nose, Izuku noticed that several students didn't seem pleased that Bakugo was chosen. "At least, he did come in first place for the combat portion of the exam, which were the only scores made public...but with the rescue points being added, I actually ended up beating him."
"Tch, you mean he got first place in the 'hero' course entrance exam." Another student from the general studies course corrected Izuku in a frustrated tone as she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, safe to say Kacchan isn't exactly popular..." Izuku thought, chuckling nervously and rubbing the back of his head. "And that stunt he pulled a few weeks ago didn't help."
"Testing...testing...is this damn thing on..." Bakugo muttered in a bored tone as he tapped the microphone in front of him, his voice echoing throughout the stadium. "Alright, the athlete's oath..." Shoving his hands into his pockets, Bakugo looked like he couldn't care less about the situation he was in. "Pay attention, 'cause I'm only gonna say this one. I'm gonna take first place!"
"You've done it now, Kacchan..." Izuku thought, releasing a heavy sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose. All around Izuku, the students from other classes were angrily shouting and cursing Bakugo's cocky declaration. "Why can't you surprise me and just be nice for once? Do you always have to turn everyone against you?"
"Yell and scream all you want, it's not gonna change anything." Bakugo said as he seemed to almost revel in the chastising he was receiving. "You're all just stepping stones on my path anyway."
"Overconfident jackass..." Tetsutetsu growled, glaring fiercely at Bakugo as he walked off the stage. "I'll be the one to put him on his ass!"
"Overconfident...I don't know about that..." Izuku thought as he watched Bakugo walk past him, not a word said between them. An uncharacteristically stern and serious look was on Bakugo's face which surprised Izuku. "Normally, Kacchan would be been smiling and taunting more...he's definitely pushing himself. Telling himself that he can't lose."
"My, that speech was quite...something..." Midnight said in a perplexed tone, resting her hands on her hips. However, her spunky, energetic demeanor quickly returned as she gestured toward the large screen behind her. "Now, without any delay, let's get the first event started. These will be the qualifiers! After this event, many of you poor babies will be sent home crying! And this year, the chosen event will be..." All eyes were on the screen as it began to rapidly flash and shuffle through various events at a blistering pace. After nearly a minute of anticipation, the shuffling began to slow down, before eventually landing on the qualifying event. "An obstacle course race!"
"An obstacle race..." Izuku muttered as he stroked his chin, his eyes narrowing slightly. "It sounds simple enough, but there's bound to be some twists."
"This race will be between every member of the eleven participating classes! The course will be a four-kilometer lap around the stadium itself, that's about two and a half miles for our American viewers watching on TV!" Midnight began to explain the event, the screen behind her showing the information as well. "At U.A. University, we preach freedom in all things! HAHA! So as long as you don't go off the course, anything is fair game! Now racers, head to the starting line and take your positions!"
(Five Minutes Later: Obstacle Race Starting Line)
"I need to tell the world that I am here...I can't let All Might down..." Izuku thought as he stood near the center of the crowd of students, all of them eagerly waiting for the race to start. He had originally wanted to be with Ochaco and the other girls when the race started, but they had quickly gotten separated in the huge crowd. Izuku found himself surrounded by a sea of unfamiliar faces, making him feel a bit more anxious. "Four kilometers is a piece of cake. I could probably cover that in under a minute if I used 70% of One for All. But if I used that much power, I could seriously hurt the other students. Hmmm...10% should be good to start with, then if I need to I could always increase-"
"Hey! Look who it is!" Izuku was pulled from his thoughts when he felt someone roughly smack his back. Yelping in surprise, Izuku whipped around and was surprised to see who had spoken to him. It was the orange-haired girl he had met during the entrance exam. "Do you remember me?"
"Uh...Itsuka Kendo...right?" Izuku replied, causing Itsuka to smile and nod eagerly. Suddenly faced with the prospect of talking with essentially a stranger, Izuku felt his awkward, nervous energy skyrocket. "So um...what's up?"
"Nothing really. I just saw you standing here looking all stoic and I thought I'd say hi." Itsuka replied with a bright smile as she clasped her hands behind her back. Stepping closer, Istuka leaned in and locked eyes with Izuku, causing his face to flush slightly. "Hey, your class was attacked by a group of villains, right?"
"Y-Yes...we were..." Izuku stuttered out, leaning back a bit, but Itsuka's smile only widened as she leaned in even closer. "It...it was kind of a b-big deal...everyone was talking about it."
"It sure was. Class 1-A fended off a group of nasty villains, that definitely got the school fired up." Itsuka said as she reached out and playfully poked Izuku's chest. "But...I heard some rumors about what really happened during that villain attack...rumors that you, Izuku Midoriya...fought with All Might and Mirko, and took out the big, bad monster those villains brought with them."
"I...uh...well..." Izuku began to stumble over his words as he nervously tapped his fingers together. "L-Let's say that I did...why are you bringing that up?"
"Relax. This isn't an interrogation or anything." Itsuka said with a chuckle, enjoying how cute Izuku looked when he was nervous. Poking Izuku's chest, Itsuka turned around and began to walk away. "If you really did fight that monster, I think that's pretty cool and I'd love for you to tell me about it sometime. Let's catch up again later, Izuku! I'll be keeping an eye on you during this exhibition, don't disappoint me!"
"But...since we decided to give this whole sharing thing I chance, I accepted that other girls are going to love you...maybe even girls outside of Momo, Kyoka, and Mina...now I'm not saying start going after every girl you see...but if you feel that you have a special connection with a girl and think she may feel the same way...don't push her away, she may be willing to join this weird relationship we're trying."
"There's no way right..." Izuku thought as he watched Itsuka disappear into the crowd of students, hearing Ochaco's words echo through his mind. "But if she does...I won't push Itsuka away. Let's see how things play out."
"Alrighty students! The race is about to begin!" Instantly, all the students perked up and turned their attention toward the starting gate when the announcement echoed out. Lights along the gate flashed, signaling the countdown to the race's start. The air amongst the students was tense as the lights flashed lower and lower, soon reaching the final light. Then, the final light flashed green, signaling the start of the race. "START!"
"Watch me, All Might!" Izuku thought as the air around him began to crackle with green electricity, his eyes narrowing in determination. "One for All: Full Cowling!"
Several of the students around Izuku were surprised when the air around them seemed to start buzzing. Then, in the blink of an eye, Izuku shot forward, leaping over the crowd of students and instantly taking the lead. All of the students around Izuku were knocked down by the small shockwave sent out by the force of his jump. Before the students at the front of the pack could even be shocked by Izuku's sudden, shotgun start, he was already nearly a football field ahead of them. With a thud, Izuku landed back on the ground and instantly took off running, the other students just now starting after him.
Back inside the stadium, within the luxury suites, several of U.A. University's teachers were closely watching the obstacle course race. But, the teacher who was watching most intently was Mirko, her red eyes locked onto the screen showcasing the race. Her rabbit ears twitched slightly and a smirk spread across her face as she watched Izuku shoot passed the starting line, getting an explosive start to the race. One of Mirko's powerful legs was rapidly tapping as she watched and analyzed Izuku's every movement.
"Okay, kid..." Rumi muttered under her breath, feeling her heart start to race as she felt a rush of excitement. "You're All Might's little prodigy, so...show me what you've got."
And done! I know this chapter ended on a cliffhanger, but I figured that I'd leave the race for the start of the next chapter because let's be honest, Izuku will make quick work of this event. The next chapter will finish the obstacle race, cavalry battle, and should start the individual battles between the students. So, I hope you're all looking forward to that. Unfortunately, I'll be working on my Pokemon story next, so the next chapter in this story won't be out for a while, since I need to update my other stories first. But, please be patient and the chapters will be out eventually. Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK), PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING MY P ATREON (EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!), check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and feel free to PM me if you have any ideas for my stories. So until next time, I'm outta here!