Chapter 17: U.A. Sports Festival – Part 1

The rhythmic scraping of steel against stone echoed softly in the dimly lit garage. Cloud sat on a wooden crate, the massive Buster Sword laid across his lap as he slowly dragged the whetstone along its edge. Sparks flickered with each pass, the grinding sound steady and deliberate.

Sharpening the blade wasn't a necessity—its edge was already impossibly sharp—but the act itself was calming. A moment of focus and precision in a world that often felt chaotic.

Buzz. Buzz.

Cloud's hand paused mid-motion. He set the whetstone aside and picked up his phone. A single text glowed on the screen.

Bakugou:
"Sports Festival. Be there. Watch me win. Don't make excuses, old man."

Cloud stared at the message for a moment, his face unreadable. Then another text followed up.

Bakugou:
"If I win, you're gonna teach me that limit thing you mentioned."

Cloud smirked slightly. He tapped out a response with one hand.

Cloud:
"If you come in first place, I'll help you push your body past its limit. But I'm not talking about some flashy trick with your quirk. I mean something more. You up for it?"

The reply came almost instantly.

Bakugou:
"I'm winning. Clear your damn schedule."

Cloud chuckled dryly, tossing the phone onto the crate beside him.

"Limit breaks, huh? Let's see if you can even handle it, kid."

The Day of the Sports Festival

The morning sun bathed the city in a golden hue as Cloud stood in the center of his garage. His piercing blue eyes scanned the room. The Buster Sword leaned against the wall, Fenrir sat in the corner collecting dust, and his Materia glimmered faintly on a shelf.

Today, he would leave it all behind.

No weapons. No magic. Just himself.

Cloud slipped on a simple black t-shirt and a grey hoodie, paired with dark jeans and worn boots. A shadow in plain sight.

He shut the garage door behind him with a metallic thud and began his trek toward U.A. High School.

Unexpected Company

Navigating through the bustling crowds around U.A. was more troublesome than he anticipated. Vendors lined the streets, families filled the sidewalks, and students buzzed with excitement for the Sports Festival.

Cloud moved through the crowd with little effort, slipping between groups and ignoring the lively chatter. He was scanning the arena for his seat when a sudden bump to his shoulder made him stop.

"Ah, sorry about that—"

Cloud turned, finding himself face-to-face with a man in a dark blue hero uniform. Water droplet designs shimmered on the suit, and his smile was genuine. Beside him stood a woman in a matching suit with long black hair tied back into a ponytail.

The man's eyes widened in recognition.

"Wait... you're that guy!"

Cloud's expression didn't change.

"Which guy?"

"The one who saved us! From Muscular!"

Cloud stared blankly for a moment, then vaguely recalled the event. Some brute in a blood-red mask, all muscle and no brain. It wasn't much of a fight.

"...Wasn't a big deal."

The man shook his head.

"No, it was. I'm Sasuke Izumi, and this is my wife, Chiyo Izumi."

Chiyo gave Cloud a soft, grateful smile.

"We owe you everything. Thank you for saving us."

Cloud gave a slight nod, uninterested in lingering on the topic.

"Glad you're still alive."

Before he could step away, Sasuke quickly gestured to the small boy clinging to Chiyo's side.

"This is our son, Izumi Kota."

Kota peeked up at Cloud, his eyes wide with awe. There was no trace of the usual scowl or distrust he often showed toward heroes.

Cloud gave him a small glance.

"…Hey."

Kota tightened his grip on his mother's hand but gave a tiny nod in response.

Before Cloud could leave, another figure approached. A tall woman with sharp eyes and short black hair in a tactical suit adorned with cat motifs.

"I see you've met my sister and her family," she said smoothly.

Cloud sighed internally.

"And you are?"

"Shino Sosaki," she introduced herself, extending a hand. "Leader of the Wild, Wild Pussycats."

Cloud didn't shake her hand.

"Cloud."

Shino smirked, not offended in the slightest.

"Straight to the point, huh? I like that."

She turned, gesturing to the group behind her.

"These are my teammates. Ryuko Tsuchikawa—"

The blonde woman in a cropped orange hoodie and cargo pants gave Cloud an obvious once-over, lips curling into a flirtatious grin.

"Well, aren't you something? You sure you're not a pro hero?"

Cloud's eyes narrowed slightly.

"No."

Ryuko chuckled.

"Shame."

Shino continued, ignoring Ryuko's antics.

"Tomoko Shiretoko and Yawara Chatora."

Tomoko, dressed in a laid-back hoodie and jeans, gave a polite nod, while Yawara simply folded his arms, eyeing Cloud cautiously.

"Pleasure," Tomoko said softly.

Cloud remained silent, giving only the faintest nod.

He glanced toward the stadium, eager to move on.

"If you're done, I have a seat to find."

But the group didn't seem inclined to let him leave so easily.

"Oh, don't be like that!" Ryuko teased, stepping closer.

"Come on, you're not sitting alone, are you?"

Cloud sighed audibly.

"...Tch."

Finding a Seat

Despite his growing irritation, Cloud found himself seated among the group. Kota sat two seats away, sneaking glances at him every few minutes. Ryuko, unfortunately, had taken the seat directly beside him, leaning a little too close.

The crowd roared as the Sports Festival began, the arena alive with energy. Cloud leaned back, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

He wasn't here for the games.

His eyes locked onto one figure as the students began filing in.

Bakugou Katsuki.

Confident. Explosive. Determined.

Cloud's eyes narrowed.

A/N section.

A/N: Thank you, Helljumper206, for your thoughtful insight! I completely agree with your perspective. The contrast between the idealized version of heroism and the harsh realities of the world is a central theme I wanted to explore in this chapter. Shattering that perfect worldview to reveal the raw, unfiltered truth is something not everyone can handle, but it's crucial for growth and understanding. Your words captured this perfectly, and I'm thrilled that the message resonated with you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 😊

hey you readers we are 1,209 views into this story neat, Anyways I plan to write a Cloud x legend of zelda Fanfic, drop a review which game of Legend of Zelda you want to see him in and the one I like I'll write a story for whatever