Shoto stood in front of an ice barrier on the arena. "I'm going to show my old man that I don't have to rely on his damned fire Quirk. I'm going to show him that I reject his power, and I can take first place without using it." He let out a breath of cold air.

Izuku gritted his teeth. "You think you can win with half your strength? Look at me, Todoroki. You haven't managed to put a single scratch on me yet," He clenched a shaking fist. "So come at me with all you've got!"

"Why are you putting yourself through this? What about Mido? Don't you think she's gone through watching you enough?" He demanded as Izuka's eyes were worried, but her face softened. Because...he had a point, she hated seeing her brother be in pain just for the sake of getting a chance to be recognized. That wasn't even his sole reason for continuing on, and she knew that. Deep down...there was a part of her that realized this was the only thing he could do right now. But a small part of her wished that he didn't have to do this to himself.

"I wanna live up to people's expectations. To show my sister that her belief in me isn't misplaced, and what she can do if she pushes herself," Izuku spoke up, earning a light gasp from Shoto. "I wanna be able to smile while doing something good for them," He was running towards his opponent, though he wasn't looking up. He then thought of All Might. "I wanna be a pro! Whatever it takes to be a hero with Izuka as she finds herself!"

Izuka's eyes slowly widened at her brother, gasping. She then remembered Izuku's never-fading encouragement for her to use her Quirk, even though she believed that it wasn't necessary to even have it...

Shoto then thought of his father's disapproving look when the boy blamed him for his injury. 'I will reject you' He thought as he was kneeling on the ground. He refused to want anything to do with his father the day he got hurt. "I refuse...to use my left side," He told Izuku, and this caused him to snap.

"It's yours!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "Your Quirk, not his!"

Shoto then used both his flames and his ice. He looked in control, not scared like he would've been in the past. "I want it too. I'll be a hero!"

Shoto then sent a powerful ice attack while Izuku jumped, flying across the sky. Izuka had her hands in front of her mouth in anticipation, but also a little fear. 'Gotta try and get close and give it everything! More ice headed for him and he watched as Shoto raised his left arm, powering up.

"I see now, Midoriya..." He pointed it towards his opponent. Izuku moved his hand, green energy sparking from it as veins covered his arm. Shoto then held out his hand while Izuku threw his arm forward, holding out his own hand. Cementoss held up the barriers, only for a huge explosion to occur from both sides. "Thank you." Rocks flew around everywhere.

Izuka slowly looked up and then gasped sharply, getting onto her feet in realization. "Izuku!"

Izuku was now out of bounds, smoke coming from his body. He then slowly fell to the ground. Izuka let out a shocked sound and got up quickly, running past the others to go tend to him.

"Midoriya is...out of bounds," Midnight revealed out of breath. Shoto was in shock, half his clothes now burned off. "Todoroki wins!"

Izuka made it out to the arena, sliding to her brother as she saw his injuries, and they weren't looking good. She let out a soft sigh as she placed his hand on her lap, patting his head. "You fought as hard as you could out there, little brother..." She stated, knowing that he wanted to advance because of the people who helped him get here. Shoto stared up ahead at the two, seeing him and his mother in them.

Katsuki stared at Shoto, gritting his teeth at the way the boy was eyeing Izuka, and he didn't like it at all.

Todoroki's placement was then added to the bracket on the screen. "So Midoriya was eliminated in the quarterfinals," One of the people in the audience commented. The arena was still pretty trashed, smoke flying from the center.

"Well, that's what he gets for provoking that guy..."

"Do you think that was part of some plan? Otherwise, why egg him on so much?"

"He was there to beat Todoroki, but it almost seemed like he was happy to lose."

"Either way, they were both crazy strong."

"Sure, but you can't be a good pro if you get injured every time you use your Quirk."

"He attacked even though it hurt 'im. The kid's got spirit."

"Where was all that power during the cavalry battle, I wonder."

Katsuki looked annoyed by all the chatter going on about the recent fight. He wanted to shut them up right now...He then let out a small growl from the attention Izuku was getting.

Shoto walked down the hall, coming to a stop at the person who had stopped him. "What's the matter?" His father spoke up, and got silence in return. He looked smug as his arms were crossed. "Not gonna tell me to get lost? You need to learn to control your left side. It's dangerous to release so much energy like that. But I'm glad you're finally seeing reason. Now that you've abandoned your childish rebellion, we can get back to what's important," He then offered his hand with a big grin on his face. "After you graduate, you'll work by my side. I'll lead you down the path of the mighty, Shoto."

"...I haven't abandoned anything," Shoto revealed after a few seconds.

"Uh?" Endeavor looked utterly shocked to hear this. All this time he thought it was just a phase, something that his son would get over in time, but apparently not...

Shoto then raised his left hand, his eyes softening. "You're a fool to think my feelings could be so easily reversed." He then remembered how much power he gave off from his left side...power that only he had, he had never seen it from his father before as far as he knew. "Instead...out there...for that one moment...I forgot all about you."

Endeavor let out a sharp gasp from hearing this...the fact that Shoto still wanted nothing to do with his intentions despite using his left side. "Whether that's good or bad...whether it's the right thing to do..." He then walked right past his father. "I don't know. Maybe I don't need you." Endeavor simply glanced over his shoulder, not even saying anything as he was still processing what just happened.

"The bones in your right arm were shattered," Recovery Girl revealed to the twins in her temporary office. Izuku was in bed, his arms wrapped around in bandages so much he couldn't move them. And his left leg was strapped down. "I'm afraid it'll never be the same as it was before."

Izuka gasped sharply, looking at her brother in shock. Toshinori was surprised as well, a deep frown on his face.

"I need to remove the bone fragments or they'll get stuck in your joints. I'll heal you afterward," She then let out a small sigh. "You lit a fire under these children and pushed him too hard. It's only going to be a matter of time before Mido is in the same situation. She's already seen me twice today. Look at what he's done to make you proud."

Izuka closed her eyes, placing her hand on her brother's arm. Part of it was because of Toshinori's support, as well as Izuku's, but...no, for her, Katsuki kept coming to mind of all people. And normally, he'd be the last person she'd think of when it came to inspiration. But...her fight with him, and being combative at times...it just made her want to push harder.

"I don't like it one bit," Recovery Girl looked up in concern at Toshinori. He glanced at the shorter girl nearby, as he remembered his promise to her. And what did he do in return? Caused this to happen...she still had her eyes closed, but he could tell she was worried too. "You're going too far. You hear? You and the children. Don't praise him for what he's done today."

Toshinori stayed silent, looking towards the ground. Izuku did make it to the quarterfinals, but at the cost of causing too much damage. All because he wanted to please the hero he had admired for so long...

Suddenly the door burst open, revealing Ochaco, Tenya, Tsuyu, and Minoru. "Deku!" Ochaco shouted with a concerned look.

"Midoriya!" The others shouted, catching both Izuka and Toshinori off guard. Blood spurt from his mouth in surprise.

"You scared the crap outta me," He mumbled while Izuka yelped, her hair standing on end. She glanced between him and the students, hoping that they didn't notice him. Her mouth also wouldn't stop shaking as she looked at them wide-eyed.

"Are you okay?" Ochaco asked as she ran up, and noticed Toshinori immediately. "Oh. It's nice to meet you, sir."

"Uh, yeah," He gave a nervous smile while waving a hand.

Izuka then sighed in relief, sagging her shoulders. Thank goodness...I guess because they look so different that no one can seem to tell the difference. I hope it stays that way, I don't think I could handle them finding out about Mr. All Might's secret right now...

"What about you, Mido?" Ochaco gave the girl a small frown. "How are you holding up?"

"Uh? Oh, I'm doing fine, thank you, Uraraka-Chan," Izuka told her with her eyes softened. Toshinori blinked at her speech, but decided to ask about it at a better time.

"He's in no state for visitors," Recovery Girl informed the four.

Izuku then opened his eyes. "Hey, you guys. Shouldn't you be watching the matches?" He couldn't help but wonder.

"The stage was far too damaged," Tenya answered while Ochaco's mouth wouldn't close. "They're taking a quick break to repair it now."

"That match was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life, Midoriya," Minoru commented while shaking and pointing a finger. Not even Katsuki battling Ochaco wasn't as terrifying to him. "Mido fainting was just as bad. What pro's gonna want a sidekick that hurts himself?"

Tsuyu then stuck her tongue into his ear for being insensitive. "Now you're just rubbing salt in his wounds," She explained, a finger on her chin. "Probably not a good time, especially in front of his sister."

"Hey, I'm just speakin' the truth!" He defended up to the frog-like girl.

"You're much too noisy," Recovery Girl waved her hands while stepping up to them. "I know you're worried, but I've got to focus on surgery now."

"Surgery?!" The four students exclaimed in unison, Izuka giving them a wince.

"Go on. Get out of here," Recovery Girl told them, Izuku watching his classmates.

"But-"

"Surgery's a big deal, isn't it?" Minoru interrupted the panicking brunette.

"Will his wounds be healed?!" Tenya asked as Izuka stepped up.

"Don't worry, just leave me to it," Recovery Girl tried to assure them.

"Ribbit..." Tsuyu murmured sadly as Izuka gripped the door, giving a small smile.

"Thank you all so much for coming to see my brother, though he'll be okay. We all know he won't let this stop him, right? I appreciate your concern, but Ms. Recovery Girl needs space to work. I'll keep an eye on him and keep you updated," She told them softly and they faltered, knowing that she'd keep her word.

"...Okay, Mido," Ochaco nodded in agreement almost immediately. "Thank you."

"Yes, we'd like you to tell us everything afterwards. Some of our other classmates are concerned as well," Tenya bowed his head gratefully.

"Keep us posted, Mido," Tsuyu told the girl.

"You can take my number if you want to for him!" Minoru shouted, even though they didn't have their phones on them. Izuka just gave a small wave and smile as she closed the door, ignoring what he said. Once she did, she pressed her back against it, letting out a long sigh as she let her knees hit the ground. She placed her hands on her knees, her eyes closed. Toshinori stared at the girl, wondering what could've happened for her to be openly interacting with other students in a short time span.

"You seem to be getting more comfortable with your classmates," He pointed out, and she opened her eyes, looking up at him.

"Hm? Oh...yeah," She glanced away briefly, rubbing the back of her neck. "All of them I'm starting to get used to now. Like I can become stronger because of what I see them do. Even ones I don't get along with," She gave an awkward chuckle and the man hummed in thought, remembering witnessing Katsuki's brief glance as if he wanted Izuka as a teammate. "Their support helps a lot too," She gave a small happy smile.

"...I broke our promise."

"Huh?" She blinked in shock staring at him and he bowed his head.

"I...apologize for letting things go too far again. I know you must be terrified, and I caused that fear within you. Please forgive me, Mido. This isn't something I like doing to you..."

"Mm," She bit her lip a little; yes, it worried her, and yes...she was scared of what was gonna happen to her brother now. But...she also understood his actions out there, including with Shoto. He didn't do it to worry her; he did it to help his classmate understand what he was doing was a fatal flaw to him as a budding hero. "Mr. All Might...it'll be okay. I don't blame you."

He looked up at her in shock to see a gentle smile. "What he did was risky and it's caused serious injuries to the point that he's in need of surgery...but I know that it was noble. And honestly...I'm not sure if I would've done things differently either looking back if it was me out there. He did what he felt what was necessary: saving Todoroki-San from his past. While I prefer he didn't hurt himself so much...I don't hate what it means for both of them. But now he might owe me after I'm gonna need to tell our mother about this."

He gave a breathless laugh at her joke, glad that despite her concerns...she still stood by her brother's side. She wasn't even worried that she didn't make it to the quarterfinals. All she cared about was her brother's well-being and happiness. "I'm glad that you're not upset with me. Thank you, Mido, for being his encouragement throughout all this."

"...I'm sorry." Both of them gasped while looking towards Izuku. His sister stood up and walked over. His hair was covering his eyes, so they couldn't see them. "I couldn't do what you asked of me."

"You must introduce yourselves to the world, and proudly say I am here!" He declared to the twins.

Izuku squeezed his eyes shut; he was here because he pushed Shoto too hard. If he hadn't done so, that blast wouldn't have cost him the win. "If I had shut up...not said anything...I might have been able to beat him. But I..."

"Izuku..." Izuka sighed while sitting on the side of the bed. "Nothing you did was the wrong decision. No one is blaming you for what happened out there, not even Todoroki-San. In fact...I'm sure he realized why you said those things." At least, she hoped they weren't blaming him, otherwise she'd be having a few choice words with them.

"She's right," Toshinori nodded in agreement with her. "You got Todoroki to realize something very important about himself."

Izuku gritted his teeth in a bit of pain. "I guess so. In his first match, he looked so sad...I was trying to figure out why when I should've been focused. I made a bigger mistake, though." The two looked at him attentively. "Whenever we were fighting...I was just so...so frustrated. I couldn't see the bigger picture. Or what it would take to win. I'm sorry..."

Izuka's eyes saddened at him while Recovery Girl watched from the door in silence. The fact that he was apologizing for helping when that was all he wanted to do as a hero...it must've been hurting him so much thinking about what he should've done differently.

"It's true that the match didn't go how we wanted it to, and realizing where you went wrong won't change that," Toshinori spoke up softly to the boy. "But listen...meddling where you don't technically have to...is the essence of being a hero." Shoto was still walking down the hall, a stoic expression on his face.

Izuka then blinked slowly at his explanation, glancing up at him. Maybe that was part of the reason why...she felt the need to help Katsuki earlier when people were booing him. She wouldn't be surprised if she had picked that up from her brother.

Izuku let out a whimper, a tear running down his cheek. Recovery Girl then let out a small sigh, walking up to the trio. Izuka reached out to pat the top of his head gently, silently telling him that she was still very proud of him, despite what happened. The girl glanced at Recovery Girl and Toshinori knowingly. The latter nodded at her.

"Go on. I'll watch him for you and update you," He whispered and she mouthed a grateful 'thank you' before standing up.

Shoto was about to turn the corner to head for the arena. His match with Izuku was still in his mind...

"Todoroki-San?"

"Ah..." He turned around to see Izuka walking up to him. "Mido. I see you're recovering from your battle with Bakugo. I'm assuming you're here to talk about your brother, right? Seeing our battle must've made you worry..." He spoke as he stared at her and she rubbed her arm a bit.

"Actually...I came to talk about you," He blinked in surprise to hear this from her. And she didn't seem angry with him, so he wondered what she wanted. It wasn't like he had treated the twins the best either before the battle. "I'm sorry if my brother got too involved in your business during your fight with him. He meant well, and...while I did agree with him, I didn't want to push the issue. And I also wanted to say that I understand what it's like to feel like you're trapped," She stared into his eyes with empathy, and not any negative emotion. "Like you're not using your potential. I wish I was in control as you are with your Quirk, fire or ice. That's...all I had to tell you. Good luck in your next match."

She turned around to leave, not sure if she made things better or worse. But she at least tried like Izuku would do. Now she just had to hope that he would still be able to use his Quirk after that match...

"Wait," He called out and she glanced over her shoulder. He dropped his arm, giving a small hum. "Thank you. And I'm sorry that I injured him so badly. Please understand that it wasn't my intention to hurt your brother like that."

"I know," She gave a small smile, glad that there didn't seem to be any resentment for what Izuku did. "He'll be okay thanks to Recovery Girl. I'm sure he'll appreciate you saying that after you declared war on us."

"One more thing," He spoke up again and she blinked. "You're...a good person, Mido, regardless of your strength. Midoriya is lucky to have a sister like you watching over him. I can tell you care about him a lot. Anyone would need someone like that in their lives."

She hummed with a small smile. "Thank you. That means a lot. I wish you luck, Todoroki-San."

He nodded and she waved as she left. She walked down the hallway as Katsuki was hiding around the corner, having heard the whole exchange. He then narrowed his eyes towards the girl. Don't tell me she actually likes him. They haven't spent that much time together, does she just admire his stupid Quirk after watching him? What was all that crap about inspiration with me then?

He growled as he clenched a fist, turning around and punching the wall. "Damn it!" He grunted in anger of the thought of those two together. He then snarled as he stormed off.

The crowd cheered as the next match was between Ibara and Tenya. She clasped her hands, gritting her teeth as she sent her hair flying towards her opponent. "Here we go," Tenya was already kneeling. "Recipro...Burst!" He sped up to the girl, landing behind her hair as he grabbed her shoulders from behind. She yelped as he used his speed to push her so fast, the next thing she knew she was out of bounds. She slid to a safe stop, baffled by what he did.

Midnight blinked and then pointed her whip at the green-haired girl. "Shiozaki is out. Ida wins the match!" He announced as he bowed his head.

The crowd cheered and next up was Mina versus Fumikage. "Dark Shadow!"

"I've got her!" The being came out of his owner's body. She gasped sharply and threw acid shots at Dark Shadow. He cackled as he easily dodged them. She let out a sound of shock as he loomed over her, the wind so strong it sent her out of bounds. "No...!" Mina tried to stop herself, but she fell backwards and lost.

"Ashido is out of bounds!" Midnight pointed at her and then Fumikage. "Tokoyami will advance!"

The crowd cheered while Minoru looked on in surprise, though disappointed that Mina's clothes weren't shredded. "Whoa! He won that battle super fast!"

"Tokoyami's Dark Shadow is so amazing," Tsuyu commented in thought. "Ribbit," She then noticed Ochaco's worried stance. "What's wrong, you still worried about Midoriya?"

"She said she had to perform surgery," Ochaco reminded the two. "And what if something happens to Mido later since the twins seem to have that connection? I'm not sure if I could handle her being brought back a third time today..."

"Recovery Girl's the best, you've got nothing to worry about," Minoru stated and she looked over her shoulder.

"He's right," Tsuyu for once agreed with him.

"Sure," She gave a weak smile; she honestly didn't know what to expect...

Recovery Girl was in the middle of the surgery, and then pulled away once she was done. Izuku was a bit out of breath. "I've healed you enough that you should be able to walk. But be careful," She informed the boy, Izuka smiling in relief.

"We're very grateful for everything you've done for us," She bowed her head respectfully.

"Thank you very much, ma'am..." He then glanced at his right arm and gasped. He now had scarring over his hand...

"That's what you get for overusing your Quirk in a short time frame. Consider your crooked right hand as a warning from now on, for both of you," She explained to the twins. Toshinori then walked over to the twins. "And just so you know, I will not heal injuries like this anymore."

All of them gasped from her declaration, Izuka looking at her wide-eyed. Recovery Girl then turned to Toshinori specifically. "You must find a new way for the boy to use his power. There has to be an option that's not so self-destructive. Not only are you worrying his poor sister so much, but what will either of you say if I find her the way I did him? And considering her first visit earlier today, that theory isn't too far off..."

Both of the twins stared in shock for her words...and they couldn't disagree with them either. They had to find a way to prevent Izuku from getting worse, and why Izuka seemed to feel that vision despite not possessing One for All...she wasn't saying this for the sake of it, it was for their well-being should they get to the point of beyond healing.

Toshinori and the twins walked down the hall together. "A new way of using your Quirk...Hm," He murmured in thought, a finger underneath his chin.

"Hey, All Might," Izuku came to a stop, getting their attention. "Remember when you told us why you came to UA in the first place? To find a worthy successor to inherit One for All."

"Yeah," He simply responded, Izuka turning to him curiously.

He then thought of what Hitoshi said during their battle. "I put everything I had into the sports festival." Ochaco and Shoto came to mind as well, and then his sister. "But still...there were other competitors who fought for the victory harder than I did," His eyes then hardened a bit. "So...maybe-"

"You're thinking it might be better for someone else to be my successor. Yes?" Toshinori predicted, earning a small gasp from Izuku. His sister blinked at him rapidly in shock.

"...Yes," Izuku took a few seconds to answer.

"Izuku..." Izuka frowned a little towards him.

"You speak the truth. This place is full of incredible potential heroes. One for All is a crystallization of power. It bolsters Quirks. For example, if Young Todoroki were to inherit it...the strength added to his own Quirk would probably make him an unbeatable superhero," Toshinori spoke up, the girl crossing her arms with a frown.

"...Then-"

"But you know, I was Quirkless too as a kid," The man revealed to the both of them. Izuka gasped while Izuku's eyes slowly widened hearing this. He let out a shocked gasp, turning around to his mentor. Toshinori had a small grin on his face.

"Quirkless? Seriously?"

"Back then it wasn't as rare of a thing. But it was still out of the ordinary. Even though I didn't have a power of my own...I had someone who believed in my potential, not unlike what you and your sister do for each other. My master gave me One for All and raised me to become a hero," He explained to the twins.

"You never told me about that!"

"It's not my fault you never asked," Toshinori pointed out and Izuka gave an awkward look. He then gave a thumbs up. "Which is honestly surprising."

"Well, it's not like we had any reason to believe you were Quirkless..." She murmured, rubbing the back of her neck. Izuku did idolize him as a child, so it wasn't like he stopped to think if Toshinori had this Quirk biologically. Though then again, a Quirk like One for All probably wasn't a normal one to inherit...

Toshinori flinched and then gave a small chuckle. "Fair point, Mido."

"I just can't believe the number-one hero was Quirkless," Izuku stated in disbelief staring at the man.

"It's true. When we first met, I saw a little of the old me in you. And I saw a little bit of me now in a young girl who was too afraid to even speak. But kids, you've gone beyond my expectations, time and time again. One day you're gonna do incredible things with One for All and with Galaxy. That's something I truly believe."

Izuku opened his mouth while Izuka shed a small tear. She sniffed and then gave a small smile, wiping her eyes with her hand. Toshinori nodded firmly that he wasn't changing his mind on that anytime soon. The boy flinched and then closed his eyes, shaking.

"I'll do my best..."

"I will too!" Izuka pumped her fists with a determined but pleased look on her face. "I'll open up more to people in my class...and I'll learn more about what I can do with my Quirk."

Toshinori hummed with a small smile at her declaration; she definitely didn't seem as scared as she was all those months ago. "Anyway, the Sports Festival isn't over yet. Get out there—you don't wanna miss the end," He stated as a rainbow was in the sky above the stadium.

"Right!"

"I'll surprise our friends," Izuka smiled, pressing her hands together. "They were worried about you going through surgery, I said I'd keep them updated. Might as well show them that you're okay."

"Yeah, let's do that," Izuku returned the smile.

The phone rang in a waiting room several times. Tenya looked up as he was attempting to reach someone. "Hey, are you there, Tensei? It's Tenya."

"I am currently on a mission, and cannot answer the phone," He got his brother's voicemail instead. "Please leave a message."

Tenya then hung up with a small frown. He wanted to know if his brother was currently watching him in the Sports Festival. "Oh, well. We'll talk soon, brother."

Ingenium was currently running down the streets. He put a hand to his ear. "Squad A, head north. Squad B, check the west side!" He reported to his teams as they were currently trying to track someone.

"Squad A, roger!"

"Squad B, roger!"

Sirens then went off in the city he was in. As he ran, he slid to a stop and glanced behind him. "Back there!" He then ran towards a building, speeding up and lifting himself off the ground. His feet briefly touched the wall of another building before he pushed himself towards the roof. "No doubt about it. It's him!" He narrowed his eyes, using his engines to land safely. He then turned around while clenching a fist. "I've found you! Hero Killer!"

A figure with glowing red eyes stared back at him...

The crowd back at the stadium cheered in excitement. Eijiro yelled as he charged forward, grazing Katsuki's cheek with a punch thanks to his hardened skin. Katsuki's hand glowed as he sent an explosion towards his opponent.

"He countered!" Present Mic exclaimed as Eijiro planted his feet onto the ground to keep him from flying backwards.

"Hah! Nice try, but that's not gonna work on me, Explosion Boy!" He taunted as smoke came from his body. Katsuki slid to a stop himself, growling at this. He gritted his teeth at his opponent. Eijiro may be someone he worked with, but right now, that didn't matter to him.

He's still going strong. But how long can he keep his Hardening up?

Tetsutetsu of all people stood up. "Kirishima! Go straight for his chin!" He shouted in encouragement.

"What, you're rooting for him now, man?" Juzo couldn't help but wonder.

Izuka and Izuku stepped up to a high point, seeing the battle taking place. "Kirishima and Kacchan," The latter murmured and then looked to the side. "So that would mean...Ida and Tokoyami finished their matches already."

"That's right," Izuka's eyes widened as she looked towards the screen. "I never saw the results of some matches because I was helping Uraraka-Chan," She then gasped as she saw that Momo had lost, and her eyes softened. With everything going on, she didn't even get the chance to talk to her friend about it...

Izuku let out a small sigh, closing his eyes. I wish I coulda seen them fight!

"Let's watch and then find our class," Izuka stated while looking back at the arena.

Eijiro went after Katsuki nonstop with punch after punch. The angry blond dodged every single one of them. "Bakugo's having a heck of a time dodging Kirishima's fierce attacks!" Present Mic commented as Katsuki moved around to avoid the attacks.

"Whoa, Kacchan's on the defensive?" Izuku murmured in thought. "I guess Kirishima's Quirk seems simple on the surface, but it's still effective."

"Well, if he continued to build up his Hardening to the point where he's an unbreakable shield, it could make for a good offensive move," Izuka hummed just as Tenya approached from the hallway.

"Midoriya! Mido!" The two gasped, turning around to see him. "I take it that your surgery must have gone well. I'm glad."

"Yeah, thank you!" Izuku told him gratefully as he came to a stop between the twins. "And congrats on your win."

"Although it is kind of embarrassing when you look back at it...imagine telling people about this," Izuka scratched her cheek and he flinched, groaning a little. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make it worse!" She waved her hands apologetically.

"No, it's fine...I'm up against Todoroki. I watched your fight with him closely," He glanced at Izuku. "Maybe I can learn from it."

Izuku gave a weak smile, not sure if he did the right thing in the end. "Yeah...Is Ingenium excited that you've blown through the bracket? He must be so proud of his little brother."

"Mm. I'm not sure. I called him earlier, but he was working," Tenya informed the two and Izuka blinked.

"Oh. Sorry."

"No," Tenya gave a small smile regardless. "It's for the best. When we do talk, maybe I'll get to tell him that I won."

The twins smiled at him, remembering what he said about his brother. "Ingenium is an unmatched commander who honors the hero code. As the second oldest Ida son, I strive to be just like him."

"I'm sure that whether you win or not, he'll still be very proud of you, Ida-San," Izuka spoke up gently, smiling towards Izuku. "After all...just you fighting hard for your chance is enough for some people. Family supports each other."

"Mmhm," Izuku nodded happily at her, knowing she was referring to him.

Present Mic let out a yell, getting their attention. "Bakugo is countering again! But what's this?" Katsuki had landed a hit on Eijiro, and it hurt giving the strained look on his face. "It seems to be working this time!"

"You've been straining to keep your body rock-hard this whole fight, right?" Katsuki had smoke coming from his fingers, a fierce look on his face. Eijiro then looked at him, gritting his teeth as he didn't confirm or deny anything. "But that means you're overusing your Quirk. And sooner or later, you'll fall apart." He then sent a huge explosion, and Eijiro had used his Quirk against it. He then gasped as Katsuki let out a yell, flames coming from his hand. He then punched the air in front of him, explosions headed right for Eijiro. And the latter couldn't keep up with it as his clothes started to tear. Katsuki kept up the attack and Eijiro gave a strained sound.

"Too much...!"

Katsuki gritted his teeth while moving his arm. "The finishing blow! DIE!" He screamed as he sent one last explosion at his opponent, and he fell backwards. "There. Now I understand why you were trying to avoid a drawn-out match with me." He watched as Eijiro fell back unconscious.

"Kirishima has been knocked out. Bakugo is the winner!" Midnight pointed her whip at him, earning cheers from the crowd.

"What are you doing, idiot?!" Tetsutetsu shouted in anger, his classmates staring at him. "I thought you had more guts than that, Kirishima!"

"With that vicious carpet bombing, Bakugo advances to the third round!" And this meant that he was facing off against Fumikage. Shoto, Tenya, Fumikage, and Katsuki all appeared on the screen.

Katsuki glanced towards where his classmates were sitting. He then saw Izuka in the far back and once their eyes met, she flinched. She then let out an awkward cough as she tugged at her collar uncomfortably. He glanced at Tenya briefly and clenched a shaking fist. First Icy-hot and now Four Eyes? What the hell? Why is she hanging around all the guys in our class now? Much like with Shoto, he didn't like seeing Izuka with Tenya, but it was definitely a lesser feeling. He did look a little pissed, though.

Although to her, he looked intimidating right now, but their earlier conversation was coming to mind...and how close he was to her...

Damn it, not again. Why is it that I can't keep my mind off him sometimes? She dragged a hand down her face, looking annoyed. She took another closer look and saw that he felt more...intense looking at her, and she had no idea why. The last time she spoke to him indicated that he had at least had a little respect for her, so she wondered what caused the drastic change in his mood.

"Seems as if Bakugo's taken a bit of interest in you after your battle," Tenya pointed out and her hair stood on end, her eyes widening. "He has been acting...quite the opposite around you at times, and I hear he saved you at the USJ?"

Interest? Like an investment or something? She let out a long sigh, closing her eyes and turning around. "He did, yes, but I don't even know what that's supposed to mean by an interest. And even if I did, I'm not exactly his level for anything. I'm sure it's just nothing and this will all blow over after the Sports Festival," She then walked off, confusing the both of them.

Does Kacchan really hate her as he says he does? He may act like he feels that way...I think he's just confused or in denial about her deep down. He hesitated with her before he could do a final blow, something I've never seen him do before...

"I see..." Tenya hummed in thought staring after the girl. He would ask if she even felt any different towards him than she did in the beginning. But something told him it might not be his business. "Right. I'm off," He then walked off with a determined look in his eyes.

"Deku!" Ochaco exclaimed in surprise, Izuka waving to them with a small smile as she walked behind the boy.

"I thought I'd surprise you guys by bringing him with me," She told Tsuyu, Minoru, and Ochaco.

"Hi, Midoriya, Mido," Tsuyu greeted the two of them. "It looks like your surgery went okay."

"Yeah," He nodded with a small smile. "Recovery Girl healed me up enough to walk."

Ochaco stared after him in worry as he walked past. "Sure, but shouldn't you be taking it easy?" She wondered as Izuka took her seat to Ochaco's right.

"I wanna watch these matches in person," He told the brunette, surprising her. "This is where everyone's efforts are finally gonna pay off."

She then looked back, silently agreeing with him. "The first match of the semifinals! Both come from hero families, making this a battle of elites! From the hero course, Tenya Ida! Versus...his classmate, Shoto Todoroki!"

Tenya then narrowed his eyes at his opponent. I can't negate his attacks like Midoriya did. Plus, if he uses his flames now, he's even more dangerous. His glasses shined a little. Focus.

Shoto glared towards Tenya. "Start!"

As soon as he said this, Shoto sent a flurry of ice towards Tenya. The latter moved to the side, keeping his eyes on his opponent as he ran. He's not wasting any time. Shoto glanced over as Tenya was rushing over to him. He moved down his right hand to send more ice. Tenya skidded to a stop and jumped out of the way, although the only way out now was past Shoto.

"Ida's been surrounded!" Izuku let out a sharp gasp. A gust of wind came in, Shoto sending in more ice attacks. "Todoroki's going in for the win already!"

However, Tenya jumped into the sky in response. "Oh, whoa!" Ochaco gave a small look of awe. "A standing long jump!"

Shoto gritted his teeth up at his opponent. "Recipro...Burst!" Tenya fired up his engines and swung his leg for a kick. Shoto then ducked his head. I have ten seconds before my engines stall! He landed safely nearby, spinning back around to Shoto. Which means I have to win this right now! He landed a hit on Shoto so hard that he hit the ground.

"Look at that speed!" Present Mic commented while Hanta, Minoru, and Tsuyu all gasped.

"That was a heavy hit," Hanta looked up ahead in shock, wondering when Tenya was capable of this kinda power.

"I didn't know he could kick like that," Denki recoiled back in alarm.

Endeavor let out a growl, not only for the unexpected kick, but because Shoto wasn't using his fire like before. Shoto's hand touched the ground as he slid, sending a path of ice. Tenya grabbed the back of his shirt while still in the air, speeding towards the opposite side of the arena.

8 seconds left. I've got this! I'll throw him out of bounds before he can-

Suddenly he felt trapped in place. He then glanced back with a gasp as he saw that his muffler was covered in ice. This made him unable to properly move to get Shoto out of bounds now. "My muffler's blocked!" He shouted; he didn't even see Shoto create the ice. "When did you-"

Shoto created ice at his feet and at Tenya's arm. "When you kicked me," He then revealed, ice spreading through Tenya's body. "I've only been showing off ranged attacks today. You forgot I could do precision moves too, didn't you?" He then stood up as Tenya was completely covered in ice. And with his engines blocked, he couldn't break himself out either. "I was trying to dodge your Recipro. But it was too fast to avoid, even for me."

"Ida has been immobilized!" Midnight announced while gesturing to the boys. "Todoroki advances!"

"Todoroki moves on to the finals without even using his flames again!" Present Mic declared as Shoto looked towards his left side. Unlike with Izuku, he still felt hesitant overall to use it.

Endeavor looked annoyed and then remembered what Shoto said to him earlier. "Maybe I don't need you."

Why are you holding back? Don't be a fool He thought, acting as if the previous conversation with his son didn't happen.

Izuku's eyes saddened while Ochaco looked sympathetic. Izuka gave a small frown. "Poor Ida," The boy murmured, knowing that he wanted to make Ingenium proud.

Tenya gritted his teeth as his loss was fully hitting him. "I'm sorry, brother..."

Meanwhile, in the alleyway, it was quiet. "Fame...money..." A voice murmured while there was blood on the ground. "That's what all of you who call yourselves heroes are really after." The blood...belonged to a severely injured Ingenium on the ground. The man responsible panted heavily, the hero's broken phone nearby. It was broken, bloodied, and the missed call from Tenya was the only notification. "But you bastards are not heroes," The attacker then stomped onto the phone, blood coming from his knife. "Except him...the only one with permission to kill me."

A single drop of blood fell from the weapon. The shadow's red eyes stared at the hero in front of him. "All Might is worthy..." He revealed after a few seconds.

"And now, Bakugo versus Tokoyami!" Present Mic shouted as the crowd cheered. "Bakugo's vicious rushes are unstoppable!"

Fumikage braced himself as Dark Shadow zeroed in on Katsuki. "That thing is so damn annoying!" He growled as he swung his arm with an explosion. "Die! Loser!" He screamed as the flames hit Dark Shadow.

"Such brutality," Fumikage narrowed his eyes as Dark Shadow held on for as long as it could. Katsuki kept attacking with explosions.

"Tokoyami has advanced this far with an almost unbeatable Quirk!" As Present Mic was speaking, Katsuki didn't stop attacking. "But this time, it looks like he's on the ropes!"

Dark Shadow couldn't keep up much longer as it got weaker the more Katsuki attacked. "What is that bird-brain doing?" Mina wasn't pleased as she shook her fists. "He attacked super hard when he was up against us!"

Momo rubbed her chin in thought. "There must be a reason."

"Dark Shadow," Ochaco knew exactly why; he had told his team in the cavalry battle after all. "He can't go on the offensive because of all the light. This matchup couldn't be any worse."

"Most people don't know about his weakness," Izuku spoke up next. "Kacchan may not have figured it out yet."

"Or...it's possible that he does and he's using it to his advantage," Izuka stated, getting their attention. "I wouldn't be surprised if he had noticed. Things like that don't get past him."

I underestimated him Fumikage thought as Katsuki ran forward. I don't have any time to recharge Dark Shadow's power. I'm running out of darkness! He backed away a little, unsure of what to do. Katsuki's Quirk didn't exactly allow for any strong attacks for Fumikage.

Katsuki jumped up, using an explosion underneath his feet to elevate himself into the air. Is he just trying to wear me down? It looks like his moves are getting faster! Katsuki was flying towards him, using his explosions to pick up speed. Dark Shadow charged in, but the angry blond touched it with his Quirk. Dark Shadow let out a painful yelp.

"Grab him! Dark Shadow!" Fumikage ordered, his Dark Shadow moving to do so. But Katsuki leaped out of the way.

"Wow! Bakugo leaps behind Tokoyami!"

Katsuki spun his body around and landed, holding out his hands. Dark Shadow came flying in, but Katsuki sent out a huge explosion, the light so bright it could blind someone. "Stun Grenade!" Another explosion occurred, smoke coming from the arena.

"How am I supposed to commentate when I can't see?" Present Mic complained at this since it wasn't the first match today that this happened. "What's happening?"

"...Tell me, Bakugo," Fumikage spoke up while sweating and a glare kept upwards. "Did you know of my weakness before?"

"I figured it out by attacking over and over again," Katsuki revealed with a big grin on his face. He was holding Fumikage's beak with one hand, while the other hand was sparking. "It was a pretty bad matchup for you. Almost feel bad." Dark Shadow didn't dare go near him. "But you're done."

"...I surrender," Fumikage admitted while closing his eyes.

"Tokoyami gives up! Bakugo's the winner of this match!"

The crowd cheered as Katsuki rubbed his arm, staring at Fumikage sitting up. "That means our final fight will be between Todoroki and Bakugo!"

Katsuki turned towards the crowd, glaring up at Shoto. He returned it from his spot in the stands.

"Man, what a bummer," Ochaco stated with a small frown. "Poor Tokoyami."

"I totally thought the bird would win for sure," Hanta pointed towards the arena.

"I guess that means his Quirk's not invincible after all," Denki pointed out, as after this match, it wasn't too hard to figure out.

"So light is his weakness," Eijiro had returned from Recovery Girl at this point. He had a bandage around his forehead and one on his left cheek. "Interesting. And Bakugo's the kinda guy who would exploit that."

"You chose a terrifying person to make your enemy," Itsuka patted the back of Neito's head. "And considering what you said about his classmate, you already placed a target on your back."

"Not at all," Neito didn't seem too worried. "Just luck that his Quirk worked so well against that guy. As for that girl, I don't know why the hell he felt the need to hit me after I spoke the truth." Itsuka looked annoyed and then hit him in the neck. "Ack!"

"These finals have been one big showcase for Class 1-A," Tetsutetsu pointed out in thought. "Dammit."

"It doesn't matter who wins or loses. These first-years are amazing!"

"The draft is gonna be so insane this year."

"I wonder what this match will be like," Izuku wondered while looking at the screen. "Besides intense."

"Their conversations with each other aren't exactly friendly either, so tensions are already high," Izuka sweated a little, scratching her cheek. Just by the obstacle course alone told her plenty of what their relationship was like already...

"We'll have to take notes for next time," Both of them were surprised as they turned to see Tenya arriving.

"Ida!"

He turned towards his friends with a smile and they returned it. The three then nodded at him and then he started shaking. "Whoa! What's wrong?!" The twins and Ochaco exclaimed in unison.

"It's just my phone," He revealed while reaching to the back of his pocket.

"Well, that's a relief..." The three said in unison again.

He saw a text from his mom, wondering why she was reaching out to him right now. Mother?

He went into the hall to call her. "Hello, Mom? I hate to tell you this...but I lost."

"No, son, I'm not calling about that. I mean, I'm sorry," Tenya looked a bit confused as her tone seemed very worried. "Bur Tenya, please listen carefully. It's your brother. A villain got Tensei!" Everything froze as he let this news sink in. And the one responsible...was the Hero Killer himself.

He was standing on a water tower, licking the blood from Tensei as he looked out to the city. "You haven't even noticed it, have you?" He murmured, looking at the alleyway where the attack occurred. "This warped society mired by hypocrisy...and vanity. That's fine, I'll open your eyes, heroes. You will see the world that you've created..."

He then pulled out his blade to someone watching him from behind. "Please remain calm," Kurogiri's voice spoke as the blade went through a purple warp. "We are of the same mind." The hero killer just stared at him in contempt. "I have been searching for you, Hero Killer Stain. I heard of your exploits and wanted to meet you in person." Stain said nothing, looking up at Kurogiri as he was definitely a bit intrigued. "I think you'll be interested in what I have to offer." Stain then narrowed his eyes, while Shigaraki looked at his computer.

"Hero Killer...Stain," He was looking at a photo of Stain running away.