Devil 20
After the race had concluded, Izuku and all of Class 1-A and 1-B had managed to qualify for the next round with Hitoshi, Mei, and Chuchu also managing to pass as well.
"Only the Top 54 get to move to the next round, but don't worry if you didn't make the cut. We've prepared other opportunities for you to shine. But right now is where the real fun begins." Midnight announced. "This next round will provide you with the chance to really thrust yourself into the limelight."
"I'm starting to get why she's the 18+ Hero," Yamato muttered.
"And our next competition is..." Midnight called out as the roulette spun before stopping on one of the events. "The Cavalry Battle!"
"Ah, man! I'm terrible at those kinds of battles." Denki groaned.
"I've never been in one before, is it fun?" Carrot asked Uta, who nodded.
"I've seen them before and they do look pretty fun. Not sure how the superhero version will play out but let's listen to what Miss Midnight has to say."
"Now the rules are simple. Students will team up in teams of 2 to 4 with a rider and horses and try and remove headbands from other competitors. Each headband will have the complete total of points each member of each team earned during the race which will be given in a moment." Midnight explained. "Now if your headband is taken don't be discouraged because that's not the end. Keep going until time is up. Headbands must be worn on the neck or up. There are only 2 ways to truly be eliminated, By purposely trying to knock another team down or if a rider leaves his horses and lands on the ground. Other than that it's anything goes."
"Seems simple enough..." Hitoshi noted to himself. "Just need to find the right team to get by..."
"And now for the points, we go up by increments of 5 starting with 5 points at 54th place, 10 points at 53rd place, 15 points at 52nd place, and so forth. However, 1st place will have a whopping 10,000,000!" Midnight finished with everyone gaining predatory looks. "It's not easy at the top is it?"
"Oh, great, now everyone will be gunning for me. This would be a chance for anyone to go from zero to sixty in the final round." Izuku groaned.
Still, despite this setback, the green-haired boy gave a vicious grin, as if daring everyone to try and take his points from him.
"You want the 10,000,000 so bad? COME AND TAKE IT!"
Even Shoto took a step back at the look Izuku was giving off while Yamato just gave a grin of his own, Koby also having a competitive smile.
"No fear, that's what I like about you, Midoriya!" Yamato laughed.
"This is gonna be something else..." Vivi muttered.
"That grin..." Seryu noted as she turned to Nimona while holding Koro in her arms. "That is the grin of a demon...!"
"Yeah...I LIKE IT." The shapeshifting girl grinned, her teeth turning razor-sharp like a shark.
"With that, it's time to begin! Everyone has 15 minutes to find their teams! Ready? Begin!" Midnight yelled while waving her whip.
Everyone scrambled in a panic to try and come up with any kind of plan. Izuku just closed his eyes calmly, not moving from his spot before opening up his eyes to see Ochako standing in front of him.
"Deku, I'm gonna join your team!"
"Deku?"
Ochako blushed. "S-Sorry, I heard Bakugou call you that a while ago and...I just thought it sounded like 'Dekiru'. You know, 'You can do it!'?"
Izuku also blushed before smiling thankfully. The sheer adorableness of that smile made Ochako fluster even more before Mei zoomed over.
"Hey, Mr. Ten-Mil! Let me in on your team! I need coverage for my super cute babies!"
"Your...babies?" Izuku and Ochako asked flatly.
"Yeah, my inventions! They're my pride and joy!" Mei beamed. "I wanted Chuchu to join with me too but she told me she was gonna branch out to others!"
"Well, we just need one more than..." Ochako guessed as she looked around, only to gasp when Ellie strutted over.
"Hey, Freckles! Heard you needed a fourth on your party. Well, let's just say I'm all for having a good team, sugar bear."
"Glad to have you with us, Ellie." Izuku smiled.
"Hey, Shinso, was it?" Koby spoke to Hitoshi, who perked up as he turned to the pink-haired boy.
"Hmmm? What do you want?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to join my team! I managed to get Momo and Fumikage with me but we need a fourth to fill in the gap."
Hitoshi was surprised and more than a little touched by this offer before smiling as he nodded his head. Besides, Koby would definitely help him get to the final round, where he could really show what he could do to the world.
"Okay, you guys!" Yamato said. "We don't need to take the ten million points! Our points together will be more than enough. That said, if some of the other teams try to go for us, we waste 'em!"
"Yeah!" Mina, Carrot, and Uta cheered.
"This should be fun. A shame Hilda couldn't participate." N noted, having formed a team with Minoru, Tsuyu, and Shouji.
Monoma sneered at Izuku's team as well as the teams formed by most of Class 1-A.
"Everyone's foaming at the mouth for what Class 1-A will do. Why are they stars? The only difference between us and them is that they fought a couple of villains. Just because we're Class 1-B doesn't mean we're second-rate. Or that we can't win this whole thing."
"Alright, ladies...and Inasa-Kun." Vivi began as Inasa, Seryu, and Nimona formed a team with her. "We gotta keep our eye out for Izuku. He's got the ten million points but so long as we keep our points close, we're guaranteed a spot in the finals."
"Yosh! I hope to see what hot-blooded tactic Midoriya pulls to achieve ultimate victory!" Inasa cheered before pausing when he noticed Shoto nearby and glared.
"Inasa-Kun?" Seryu asked in concern, snapping the Aeromancer out of his trance.
"Sorry, I was distracted..."
Speaking of Shoto, he was planning a full frontal assault with Denki and Tenya. Chuchu had swung over and offered to join as well, having a few registered Support Items of her own that she could use with her [Power Puff] Quirk.
"Kaminari, you take the front, with you there we've got an effective offense and defense. Panlunch and Iida, you'll use your Quirks to throw the other teams off balance without knocking them over." Shoto explained with his team nodding in understanding.
"Oh yeah! With my electricity and your fire and ice, we're guaranteed to move on!" Denki grinned before pausing. "Well as long as we avoid Midoriya that is."
"That's not happening. I swore never to use my left side in battle." Shoto explained with a dark expression, much to the shocked faces of his team.
"So you plan on just using your ice for this game. Don't you think that's a little reckless? Remember it's not just your ass on the line here." Chuchu pointed out with Denki and Tenya nodding in agreement.
"It will be enough," Shoto answered shortly. "Even when we go up against Midoriya and his group."
"Are you absolutely sure it's wise to go against Midoriya with half your power?" Tenya called out. "Remember your battle in the Mock Trials when we first started school?"
"My ice will be enough. It will." Shoto told them before muttering the last bit to himself as if to reassure himself.
In the stands, Garp was grinning with anticipation along with Tatsumaki while Fubuki was holding onto a little flag with Izuku's name on it, smiling more demurely while Endeavor watched with interest, keeping his attention on both Shoto's team and Izuku's team.
"I have a feeling my grandson is gonna commit a massacre that will leave very few survivors." Garp chuckled.
"And what will that say about the 'survivors'?" Endeavor asked.
Garp smirked at his old pupil. "That means they're already on the right track to standing alongside him."
DEVIL
Izuku's Crew were waiting in the VIP Room, having been joined by Toshinori, who was now in his regular skinny form as he felt more comfortable with his students rather than his 'adoring masses'.
"I have a feeling Young Midoriya is going to pull a trick that will leave all the other teams sprawling."
Ben chuckled. "Oh, I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when that happens."
"Come on, at least root for Koby-Kun or Yamato-Kun." Makoto pointed out.
"Oh no, I fully expect them to be some of the few survivors."
"I kinda hope to see more of what N can do," Hilda noted.
Rosa grinned. "Ooooh, singling him out in particular? How so, Hilda?"
Hilda's chubby cheeks flustered bright red as she stammered a response, only getting a playful giggle from not just Rosa, but Sumiko, Bakara, Mipha, Himiko, and even Kobeni.
DEVIL
Vigorshy, Mount Lady, Metal Bat, and Death Arms were currently in the staff break room, eagerly waiting for the Cavalry Battle to start.
"The Sports Festival isn't really about how prepared the students are to be heroes. It's more about simulating the competition they face if they go pro." Death Arms noted. "This country's overrun with agencies. If you want to put food on the table, you need to be able to stand out from the other agencies."
"That's such a sad way of looking at our jobs," Mount Lady said.
Metal Bat rolled his eyes. "Says the woman who's never had a problem stealing the spotlight."
"It's not like heroes never work together or even combine agencies." Vigorshy pointed out. "The first round was all about the competitive side of the hero business. The second round is more about the cooperative side."
Death Arms nodded. "Yeah. Every point you score counts for your whole team. Which means finding a good combination of Quirks and physical ability is vital."
DEVIL
"Hope you're all happy with your teams!" Present Mic called out. "And with one final countdown, let's get this party started! Three! Two! One! Begin!"
"You guys remember the plan?" Izuku asked his team who nodded all extremely happy with it.
"We're ready, Deku! It's perfect." Ochako told him from his right.
"This is gonna be BAD. ASS." Ellie smirked.
"I knew joining up with you was the right idea!" Mei beamed.
Most of the teams started rushing toward Izuku's team with only Koby, Yamato, Vivi, and N's teams hanging back. Izuku simply smirked as his hands became coated in flaming darkness via the [Dark-Dark Fruit] as he slammed both palms into the ground.
"BLACK ABYSS!"
The other teams stopped in their assault, shocked and confused as to what was happening as darkness covered the ground of the arena. Vivi's eyes widened in shock as she and Inasa formed a combined wind cyclone with their Quirks to lift their team safely off the ground.
Yamato transformed into his Inukami Form and slammed his club into the ground.
"HANAGAMI: BLOOM!"
A massive tree lifted Yamato's team safely into the air, the darkness snaking harmlessly around it. Koby also quickly moved and lifted all of his teammates onto his shoulders, having a feeling at what Izuku was planning on doing.
"Is this allowed?" Momo gasped in surprise.
"Don't worry, we're still together!" Koby reassured.
"Hmmm...better stay away from that darkness." N calmly noted before forming his arms into giant bright multi-colored wings. "HO-OH WINGS!"
Tsuyu, Shouji, and Minoru all clung onto N as he lifted them into the air away from the darkness before it could reach them. For those unlucky enough to be caught in the darkness forming underneath their feet, hands of darkness shot out of the ground and grabbed every one of them except for Koby.
"H-Hey! I can't use my Quirk!" Sero exclaimed, shaking his elbows in alarm.
This was happening all over the field as the teams lost the ability to use their Quirks. Koby was the only one unaffected since he had no Quirk to lose in the first place.
"I see what you did there, Koby-Kun..." Momo noted as Koby kept the dark hands from grabbing her, Fumikage, and Hitoshi.
"Look at that! Midoriya has taken away the Quirks of most of the other teams! Talk about a crippling blow!" Present Mic exclaimed with the audience cheering in excitement.
"Hatsume...your turn!" Izuku said as Mei grinned.
"Let me show you all what my super cute babies can do!"
The other teams that were caught in the darkness were soon bombarded with blasts from cannons that Mei had been carrying with her. The projectiles fired exploded into various colorful smoke blasts.
"Allow me to introduce you to my patented Non-Lethal Explosive Launcher!" Mei announced like an infomercial host. "They fire powerful capsules that explode into concussive blasts that also double as smoke cover! And they also look super colorful as well!"
"Heh, always gotta make an advertisement out of it..." Chuchu chuckled as Shoto's team charged ahead.
"Part of me wants to help them..." Carrot noted from her spot in the tree Yamato created.
"No, this is how they learn." Uta casually said. "If only I had a tub of popcorn with me."
"What should we do, Koby?" Momo asked.
Koby hummed. "We're going to need to go after the other teams. I'll keep carrying you guys and we'll see if we can snag a few of the other team's headbands before they try going after us!"
"Oh yeah!" Dark Shadow cheered.
"So now what?" Minoru asked N.
"Simple...we swoop in and swipe some points for ourselves."
"Everyone else went for Izuku because he's at the top, but they forget that there are sixteen slots in the finals," Vivi noted. "Why go for the top right now when we can fight for it when it really counts?"
"We shouldn't just stick to the sidelines, though!" Inasa pointed out. "Let's show them how hot-blooded our passion is!"
"Oh yeah!" Nimona grinned, turning into a cobra and wrapping snuggly over Vivi's shoulders. "I'll snatch!"
"Koro! Activate Justice Multi-Grappler!" Seryu commanded.
The dog nodded and bit Seryu's left arm, transforming it into a mass of steel cables that snaked around.
What followed was a madhouse of destruction as Izuku helped Mei continue firing on everyone with the power of the [Shoot-Shoot Fruit] to mimic her invention. N's team swooped around, Tsuyu snagging a few headbands with her tongue. Koby ran around while Momo created handheld cannons to fire from and Dark Shadow flew around, making grabs for whatever headbands he could reach.
Seryu reached out with her cables while Nimona made bites in her cobra form to snatch up any headbands off of unsuspecting opponents. After a good five minutes, all of the teams that weren't Izuku's, N's, Koby's, Yamato's, and Vivi's were stripped of all their headbands.
"So now what?" Uta asked. "I mean...we still have a good few minutes before the battle is over."
"Well, no time like the present..." Izuku said. "You guys have earned the right to come at me and my team!"
"A fitting honor indeed, Midoriya!" Koby smiled as he charged forward, still carrying his team.
"YOSH! MAKE WAY FOR OUR HOT-BLOODED SPIRIT, MIDORIYA!" Inasa called out as Vivi formed scorpion tails made of sand that snaked around her wrists like whips.
"This should be fun." N smiled as he swooped down, Minoru starting to throw his hairballs.
"You're not gonna keep us out of the game!" Yamato grinned, Uta having used her Quirk to manipulate the tree so their team could ride on it like a giant surfboard.
"Here they come!" Ochako called out.
"Let's have some fun!" Izuku smiled excitedly.
DEVIL
None of the five remaining teams had managed to snag each other's headbands, all of them having been evenly matched. With the Cavalry Battle over, the students all gathered in front of Midnight.
"First, let's give a big hand to Teams Midoriya, Koby, N, Yamato, and Vivi for managing to stay in the game, even with all those crazy powers flying around!"
The audience and even some of the students cheered, even if they were peeved at being on the wrong end of Izuku's Devil Fruit powers as well as the insane powers oc the other teams that stayed in.
"However, you all don't need to worry your cute little heads! Our dear principal has a special treat in store for the final event! For this event, we need twenty-four qualifying contestants and right now, we have eighteen! We just need six more!" Midnight explained. "And for that, we're going to have a Round 2 of Round 2. Same teams, same time, same everything. The only difference is that the five winning teams will not be participating, and thus their points will not be in circulation. Sound good everyone?"
The audience in response loudly cheered a confirmation. One would think they wouldn't want to watch the same game back to back, but considering how exciting the first one was they were more than happy to watch. The students were also nodding ready to go. They hardly wasted any energy and were more than able to go again. Most were discussing strategy or psyching themselves up now that they knew the big powerhouses wouldn't be in the game.
"I PROTEST! I DEMAND IZUKU MIDORIYA AND HIS TEAM BE DISQUALIFIED FOR CHEATING!"
The stadium went silent as students and audience alike turned to the one who shouted which turned out to be Monoma.
Garp scoffed from the stands. "Of course, there's always one..."
"This outta be good..." Tatsumaki grumbled, already feeling a headache forming.
"Monoma, what the hell is this?" Itsuka demanded.
"Isn't it obviously Kendo? Those Class 1-A scumbags cheated. Apparently, they thought with that bastard Midoriya they could get away with it and they were right if the umpire's lack of action is anything to go by." He finished with what he thought was righteous stare but was really just a childish glare.
"What about me?" Vivi pointed out.
Monoma scoffed. "My dearest Vivi, you, Ubiquitous, Nimona, and Yoarashi have my utmost respect for managing to be the members of our esteemed 1-B to make it through, but I still cannot let this travesty stand!"
"Those are some pretty big claims Monoma. Do you have any proof to back it up?" Midnight questioned with a curious look.
"That green-haired ape broke pretty much every rule of the game with that cowardly move to take away our Quirks. And even though Vivi and her team managed to escape, most of the others who avoided it were from Class 1-A. Clearly, those arrogant curs were in on it!"
"Is he hearing himself?" Nimona asked in a bored tone to Inasa, who shook his head.
"I doubt it. Monoma believes his words hold hot-blooded righteousness, but in reality, those are just the kind of words the type of person I despise the most would say."
"And that's another thing. Why is Midoriya able to use multiple powers when the rest of us have only one? Another sign of favoritism no doubt." Monoma continued. "So to make a long story short, Midoriya and his team should be punished for thinking they can just break all the rules while making their class look good and putting the rest of us in the dirt!"
"You sure about that? Are you one hundred percent positive that anyone here besides my team agrees?" Izuku asked with a raised eyebrow after a brief silence.
"Yes, that's what I'm saying you moron, what's your point?" Monoma demanded.
"Well then how about a bet?" Izuku asked with Monoma raising an eyebrow wondering why it was taking so long for Izuku to be thrown out.
"What kind of bet?"
"Let's let our fellow students decide if they think I cheated. In a second everyone aside from you, me, and my team will be asked to raise their hands if they think I cheated."
Monoma laughed. "So planning on buying your way out? Figured you could use your class to get out of this to get the majority on your side. Even try and seduce my own faithful classmates?"
"No, but let me finish; if just one of our classmates raises their hand, then I'll drop out without any complaint," Izuku said.
Monoma scowled. "You really are a moron. Do you see how many students are here? All it takes is just one hand, you're finished!"
"If Deku is doing this, then so am I!" Ochako said bravely.
"Ditto! I ain't letting this blonde dick slice diss Mr. Ten-Mil!" Mei added.
"You got that right. This wannabe handsome dude thinks he can just accuse Sugar Bear of cheating? Well, then we're all gonna go down with the ship." Ellie smirked.
"So you 1-A urchins grew a conscious huh? Trying to seek redemption for your crimes." Monoma scoffed.
"Well, I ain't part of Class 1-A, but I'm sticking with these guys!" Mei shot back. "We were all in on the plan, so we're with him!"
"Well, if that is what you want, then let's count down!" Midnight said, raising her whip in the air. "Three...Two...One...GO!"
"YOU LOSE!" Monoma called out triumphantly before turning around and seeing how many wised up and raised their hands, only to be met with a wall of sub-zero glares, not a single hand in the air. "W-What are you all doing?! Didn't you hear a word I said?!"
Itsuka glared at him with her arms crossed. "Did you honestly think we were going to go along with this plan of yours? The whole holding back in Round 1 plan was already bullcrap but there's no way I'm helping you kick out innocent competitors just because you can't beat them."
"Midoriya's strategy was completely fair and for you to take away his well-earned victory is horribly unheroic and childish!" Tenya exclaimed proudly with the rest of Class 1-A shouting out their own agreements
Monoma turned desperately to Hitoshi, moving over and putting his hands on his shoulders.
"Shinso! You want to get into the Hero Course, don't you?! I know how truly amazing your Quirk is?! This is your chance to finally get in the spotlight!"
Hitoshi raised his eyebrow. "News flash I'm not taking a shortcut like that, that's the worst way to do it."
"There you have it! Team Midoriya passes on to Round 3!" Midnight exclaimed to the cheering audience who grew more impressed with the students because they didn't take the easy way out.
"But...But...!" Monoma tried to splutter out, only for a bellowing laugh to echo through the stadium.
"GURARARARARARA! I KNEW RAYLEIGH'S KID HAD THE GUTS OF A TRUE KING! BUT THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE, I TELL YA!"
The speaker was a giant of a man, easily up to Mount Lady's waist in her giant form. He was muscular as a bodybuilder with a crescent moon moustache and a bandana over his head, wearing a regal jacket as a cape and with a bisento at his side as he started to finish the gourd of sake he'd purchased earlier.
His name was Edward Newgate, like Roger and Rayleigh, he was a former criminal turned beloved hero, one of the few NOT bound by a country;s boarders, in fact. And like many heroes, he had another name….
"HOLY SHIIIIIIIIT!" Mic screamed. "IT'S MOTHERLICKING WHITEBEARD!"
Everyone froze in shock and many cowered in their seats…then recalled the man's good mood.
"Listen here, punk." Whitebeard said, singling out Monoma. "I can already tell your story; easy in most parts of life but mocked for something outta your control. So, you decide to prove all your naysayers wrong. I know that cause that was me when I was half your age…Only difference is that I'm not ashamed to face those stronger me!"
Monoma sputtered and gaped, but Whitebeard continued.
"You strut like a peacock but flee like a chicken when things don't go your way. You're your lazy and don't want to actually work hard, just prove your existence is meaningful. No one with that mindset ever amounts to anything, no matter their Quirk. And for your information?" The aged pirate smirked, looking up as if to mock the HPSC with what he was about to say…
Elsewhere
From their seats, the Elders cringed their teeth and clenched their hands, powerless to stop what was coming next…
Back to the stadium
"That boy is practically Quirkless! All those powers you see? They came from something Gol D. Roger, the last #1 before All Might, kept hidden until the right time…and I have to say, from what I see and have heard about his classmates?...Roger would be proud."
Whitebeard's smile then turned upside down.
"But then, idiots like you, with more power and money and brains, decide to limit, control that potential, because it scares them..as well it should. The world is stagnating, but reaching towards change and that boy? His classmates and any who follow and support them? They'll change the world. And when they do? I hope I'm there to see it."
He then rose up, took a deep breath and declared:
"FROM THIS DAY FORWARD; THAT BOY AND ALL WHO FOLLOW AND SUPPORT HIM? THEY ARE WELCOMED AS MY TRUSTED ALLIES AND HONOURARY CHILDREN!"
DEVIL
In the VIP Room, most of Izuku's Crew was, understandably, freaking the eff out.
"OH MY GOD, HE IS SO GODDAMN COOL!" Ben screamed, Penny cheering and hugging as he said this.
"I KNOW! HE TOTALLY IS!" Makoto cried.
"WE GOT FREAKING WHITEBEARD IN OUR CORNER!" Rosa cheered.
"THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY EXISTENCE!" Milo cheered.
"Newgate-Sensei..." Toshinori smiled, some fond memories going through his head at the sight of the old man. "It's good to see you again, old friend."
"You know him, All-Might?" Lilique and Penny asked in surprise.
"Indeed!" Toshinori explained. "After studying in the USA, I ended up taking a ship home which was attacked by pirates…"
Marco and the Seraphim couldn't help but see simularites between Izuku and Toshuinori….and smiled as the story went on.
"Whitebeard was passing by and gave me a hand…then he gave me a crash course in Haki and some of what my predecessor, Roger, knew and did for the world. He even invited me to join his crew and I will not lie, I was tempted…But I had a country to defend and a world to change."
All Might then recalled him and Newgate sharing a cup of sake together, alongside the top sidekicks of the Whitebeard fleet…and a little boy with freckles in a cowboy hat.
"The world truly is changing it seems….and I'm glad to see him be a part of your story, my students."
DEVIL
As Monoma fell to his knees in despair and disbelief, he didn't notice Vlad King shaking his head in pure disappointment.
"I can't believe he managed to pass the Entrance Exam. We should consider altering it for next year to filter out anyone who would look down on others or hold a longtime grudge for perceived insults."
"Recommended students do have to go through an interview. Perhaps we should make that mandatory for the normal entrance exam as well." Snipe noted.
"That whole rivalry thing you were setting up seems to have bitten you on the butt, Sekijiro." Thirteen said.
Vlad King sighed. "I had hoped to promote a healthy rivalry between the two classes but I fear Monoma has taken the wrong lesson from it."
"Still, that Shinso boy from General Ed..." Nedzu noted, rubbing his chin. "He had a true sportsman's spirit to him and refused to take the easy way out."
"I've looked him up in the registry, something tells me that if Shinso proves himself in the third round, we might have to discuss a change in the class roster." Vlad King nodded.
Monoma suddenly felt his already worsening mood sink even further, as if he felt someone had just stepped on his grave, did a jig on it, and then defaced it for good measure before pissing all over the tombstone.
Knightmare Lord A/N:Yeah, I really hate Monoma and so does Mrotrax.
And of course, the mysterious man was, as you probably guessed, WHITEBEARD! Expect more of him in the future!
Anything on your end, Mrotrax?
Mrotrax A/N:…What happened here? Was cathartic. Therapeutic, even.
Now, many people dislike Monoma (As was Horokoshi's intent) for his personality and quite a few agree his hidden depths, while making sense, almost came a little too late. For me, the dislike is more…personal.
He reminds me of people who did me wrong in a way unlike anyone else. Not the worst kind, but it still hurts to this day. So, to see him taken down here?
KML has made my day. Thanks buddy.
Well, the calvary battle is done and soon…THE RUMBALLLLLLLLL BEGINS!
See ya soon!