My Hero Pokedamia

by Zayden StormVoid

Izuku realized at a young age that all men are not created equal. They aren't treated equal either. Some people have more power over others. The same can be said for the wondrous, mysterious creatures that inhabited the world before Quirks: Pokemon. This is the story of Izuku Midoriya, in this world of Quirks and Pokemon, and his path to become the Very Best, like No One Ever Was.

26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

JOY TO THE WORLD! THE LORD HAS COME! LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING! Hi everyone, tis I, Zayden StormVoid, returned from the brink once more to reveal the latest chapter of My Hero Pokedamia.

The usual apologies are needed for why the Hell this came out for so long, and the only things I could say is that I was busy with the other stories I manage, personal issues, and the DLC content of Scarlet and Violet keeping my attention for a while. Additionally, by the time I'm writing this, the Indigo Disk will be right around the corner so that will likely consume a lot of my free time, and this is all before Christmas comes about, so it is a busy time indeed.

Anyways, to recap what happened last time, we saw a major downer of a chapter as many of our protagonists got eliminated from the final event. We started it off optimistically with Izuku and Uraraka's talk, while Kaminari ended up getting trounced by Shiozaki, and then it all went downhill from there. Momo got easily defeated by Tokoyami due to her anxiety and nervousness that came with the stress of winning the Sports Festival to get out of her engagement and it cost her, but luckily there was a loveable Green Bean that swooped in and helped convince the self-doubting heiress that she is awesome and deserves to be in U.A. Though, I doubt that will be the end of Yaoyorozu's self-esteem issues. We also had Kirishima and Tetsutetsu battle it out to draw, before, finally, we had the heated clash between Mina Ashido and Katsuki Bakugou, and oh boy all the tea that just got spilled. Now, Eraserhead, Midnight, and a certain someone know about Bakugou's bullying of Midoriya, Ashido killed the Bakusquad before it even started with that final acid slap to the face, and Bakugou snapped and beat Mina to a smoking pulp in front of the entire viewing world, and there was no Eraserhead sympathetic enough to defend him. Even the pros in Miruko and Endeavor couldn't justify his violent attitude.

And now Bakugou has earned the ire and disgust of nearly everyone, especially Izuku. But we still have a few fights before then, so let's get to it.

But first, we have an Index:

"Zayden," - Normal Dialogue

'Zayden.' - Internal or Mental Conversation Dialogue

"Zayden," - Pokémon, Letter, or Flashback Dialogue

"Zayden," - All Might, Izuku Ultimate Move, and Kurogiri Dialogue

"Zayden," - Flashback All Might, Legendary Pokémon, Spiritomb, and Shadow Pokémon Dialogue

"Zayden," - T.V. and Present Mic PA Dialogue

"Zayden," - Eraserhead PA Dialogue

"Zayden," - Pokedex Dialogue

[Zayden,] -Present Mic's Quirk Reveal Dialogue

And finally, I do not own My Hero Academia, which goes to Horikoshi and Bones Studios adapting it, nor do I own Pokémon, which belongs to Gamefreak and Nintendo.

P.S. In Chapter 14, I had Mina call her Muk Goopy, however with recent reworkings that is no longer the case. Her Muk will now be called Mukky and the name Goopy will be applied to another Pokémon of hers, though you will find out soon enough.

P.P.S. At the time of this writing, I have found out about the results of Jonathan Majors's trial and how he was found guilty under two out of four charges, from what I am aware. Now, previously I had defended the man, finding how everyone turned on him so quickly when the accusation came out, and I do not regret or take back what I said. I still found it rather scummy that he was cast aside so quickly without the benefit of the doubt, and I said that that benefit should be given and to hear all sides out and make judgments when all was said and done. Well, now that all is said and done, I cannot defend this man and his actions, the law has taken its course, he made his choices and now he will have to pay for them, and we can only hope that the process was fair and not marred by things such as racism or sexism. Please inform me if there are any more things about this case that I failed to mention or articulate and know that my initial support of Majors was done as a support of fairness and the belief of innocence until proven guilty.

With that all said, Let the chapter Begin!

---

The Sports Festival Part 8: Cold Rage

Third POV

Hosu City...

Police sirens blared all across the city, bringing the once-peaceful city into a cacophony of noise. Police cars patrolled across the streets, accompanied, led, or split off from multiple squads of Heroes, Sidekicks, and their Pokémon, either by land, sky, or hopping from rooftop to rooftop.

Down one street, a man in white armor ran at super-fast speeds. The man's armor was similar to that of Tenya Iida's, with notable differences including a slimmer figure like that of a runner, his helmet resembling more of a knight, and his engine exhausts protruding out the ends of his elbows. On his shoulders were the blue letters 'ING' and an Ultra Band (Z-Move, Dynamax, and Mega Evolution Band), on his right wrist.

"Squad A, head north! Squad B, check the west side!" Tensei Iida, aka Ingenium, ordered his sidekicks through the coms.

"Squad A, Roger!/Squad B, Roger!" Both squads radioed back, complying with their leader.

As Tensei ran and his eyes scanned his surroundings, the Pro Hero began recalling anything and everything he knew about his target and his sudden appearance today of all days. Today, it all started with a bank robbery from a group of low-level criminals. The Heroes and police believed that they attempted such a heist knowing that today was U.A.'s Sports Festival. They likely presumed that a lot of Heroes would go attend the festival and thus leave the bank an easy target. They were sorely disappointed when they found half of their numbers already arrested before they got one foot out the door.

The rest had scattered trying to make off with their stolen goods and split their numbers to attempt for a number of them to gain an easier escape by likewise splitting up the police and Heroes. Even more unfortunate for them that the agency that was patrolling the area was the Pro Hero Ingenium's, who had experience in this kind of tactic. They were all captured in no time.

That was when things started to go wrong. When Tensei couldn't reach one of his squads, he raced over to their last known location. What he found was the whole team on the ground, their bodies stained in blood and wounds, most notably that of deep cuts, like from a sword or blade. Thankfully, their wounds weren't too deep, and the medical team was quick to stabilize them, and the extent of their Pokémon's injuries were only wounds, though from the severity of them, it was clear that whatever jumped them was powerful.

When one of his squads had registered spotting a man in black and grey, carrying around an arsenal of blades and wearing a red bandana, and heading away from his area, the eldest Iida sibling immediately correlated that he was the man responsible, the wounds on his men and the attacker's appearance matching to what they knew of the Villain. Ingenium was quick to have every able body not handling the arrested criminals or medical evac to go after the infamous killer, making sure to have each squad have at least double the numbers than the wounded squad had. Despite being advised against it, Tensei went off on his own, confident he could track the man faster.

Well, not exactly on his own. His Shiny Lucario, his trusted, lifelong partner, and his Revavroom raced alongside him. Escavalier and Beedrill hopped and flew up on the rooftops, while Corviknight and Skarmory patrolled from above. His whole personal patrol Pokémon team, each situated for different and oftentimes complementary situations. He never left on a patrol without his team in hand, the maximum number of Pokémon that any given Pro Hero could have on hand, and he didn't even need all 6 of them for even some of his more difficult missions and encounters.

But now, after knowing who he was tracking, he wished he was able to carry more. Just another unnecessary handicap that the Commission imposed to 'maintain the peace and order'. Where was the logic of having only a certain number of Pokémon on hand when a dangerous Villain or groups of them and their own Pokémon started attacking them, especially when some use more than 6?

He shook his head off his grumbling thoughts. 'Now's not the time to complain about the rules. I have to focus. The faster I find and subdue this threat, the faster all of us Heroes can breathe easier,' Tensei scolded himself to focus on the task at hand. 'And perhaps, if I deal with him fast enough, I can have time to see how Tenya's doing in the Festival.' The thought and anticipation of how far his brother had gotten filled him with a new burst of anxiousness.

Though, no matter how far he had gotten in the festival, or whether he would win the whole shebang or not, Tensei Iida still was full of pride for his younger brother.

It was then that Tensei took a glance at a dark alley as he ran by, and he slid to stop. "Back There!" Ingenium yelled, his left hand clicking a hidden button on his suit, the corresponding signal transmitting to his Pokémon and sidekicks to his current location.

Ingenium turned back around, with his Lucario and Revavroom following close behind. Raising his arms, the engine exhaust on his elbows fired off fumes of steam and gas, launching the super-fast Hero forwards before he leaped upwards, landing and jumping off the side of a building onto another one and once more into the air and over the building. Lucario followed his lead while Revavroom backtracked on foot-er-wheels to another alleyway alley, suddenly zooming faster than before in an attempt to cross through the alley faster.

"No doubt about it," Tensei Iida muttered, an inner gaze behind the helmet revealing an older-looking Tenya look-alike but with arrow-like ends on his eyebrows. "It's him!"

Falling down the alleyway, his exhausts fired, the propulsion slowing his descent till he landed safely on his feet. Lucario landed more gracefully beside him while Revavroom appeared down the opposite end of the alley, blocking both exits from his target.

The Hero turned around and struck a heroic and ready pose, Lucario mirroring his stance beside him. "I Found You!" Ingenium declared. "Hero Killer!"

His target, covered in blades and a ragged-looking scarf and bandana, was covered in the shadows of the alleyway, but no darkness could hide the seemingly glowing red eyes of pure and utter hatred.

---

Back at the U.A. Sports Festival...

Izuku Midoriya stood silently in the nurse's room as he watched Recovery Girl do her work. His eyes were shadowed by his hair, yet his frown was visible.

By the time the Recovery Hero was done, Mina Ashido was nearly covered head to toe in bandages, mainly around her stomach where her opponent focused a lot of his attacks, her arms, which tried to block some of the damage behind those explosions, and around her forehead, Recovery Girl worrying that the poor girl might have suffered a concussion when she was blasted off the field and into the field.

Mina was sleeping silently, and if it weren't for the bandages and patches, one would think she was in a restful sleep. Izuku knew she wasn't. He had first-hand experience.

Izuku raised his hand, gently brushing and smoothening out some of Mina's soot-covered hair. At any other time, he would be blushing like a madman for feeling the hair of a beautiful girl like Mina, much less how soft it felt, like cotton candy. Now, Izuku was expressionless, his mind simply focused on comforting and being there for the girl in pain.

Mina's body was covered in a transparent green glow, Izuku's peripheral spotting Eevee on the other side of the bed, his Heal Pulse easing much of the pain that the pink girl was currently experiencing even in slumber. Eevee, likewise, frowning, knew how much to use without falling exhausted. A recent benefit of his training these past few months was that he could use Heal Pulse more times on people than before, but only by a couple to a few times at most, depending on how determined the Evolution Pokémon was, and he was highly determined to do what he can for Ashido. With a blink of his eyes, Eevee would have mistaken Mina for Izuku, the Evolution Pokémon trying to heal his Trainer after a bad day with Him, using his unique move while the boy slept to not have to argue with the selfless boy about not wasting his energy.

The memory of how cruelly his Trainer suffered under Him, and how another has suffered from his explosions, only had the Evolution Pokémon dig his paw into the bed sheets. Realizing he had done all he could, Eevee cut off his move, only shaking his head from the mild discomfort of exhaustion and laying back as he watched Izuku care for Mina.

"Is she going to be okay, Miss Recovery Girl?" Uraraka's voice through Eevee's attention.

Behind Izuku was the rest of Izuku's new friend group, Uraraka, Hagakure, Asui, and Yaomomo all gathered around the old nurse, anxious and eager to know of Mina's condition. Kaminari leaned against the wall, his arms crossed stoically while Sparky sat on his shoulders, her ears tilted down in sadness. Tenya Iida was nowhere to be seen, but he had arrived with the rest of them when Mina was brought in by the U.A. robots but had to leave. Eevee could excuse the blue-haired boy, considering what was supposed to happen soon.

Mina's Pokémon were also out and looked ready for blood by how angry they were. They circled the sides of the bed left vacant, like her Muk, Mukky, standing by the foot of the bed with her Sliggo dubbed Goopy. Fangy the Golbat was perked beside Eevee, on the railing of the bed, and Ghastly, Mina's latest Pokémon, floated by Eevee's other side. They either had looks of mourning for their Trainer's condition or incredible rage to find the person that did this to her and melt him into a puddle.

Finally, Serena stood behind Izuku, alongside her Piplup and the rest of the verdant-haired teen's Pokémon, all saddened but unwilling to disturb Izuku from his vigilant care of Mina.

Recovery Girl sighed. "Yes, though it was harder to deal with considering the extent of her injuries and burns, but the girl will be alright," The U.A. nurse explained. "My only worries thus far are the possibility of a mild to moderate concussion and slight hearing loss from the explosions."

The mention of what had hurt Ashido had the verdant-haired teen's hand that gripped the railing of Mina's hospital bed, only tightened to that of a death grip.

"That's good to hear," Momo sighed in relief, though worry was still present on her face at the mention of a concussion. "Let us just hope for the best."

"I still can't believe it," Hagakure whimpered, Asui quick to rub the shaking invisible girl's shoulders. "I know this is a competition, I know that many of us would be injured, but this...how could he have hurt her this badly?!"

"It's bullshit!" Kaminari bounced off the wall and stomped around, further incensed by the actions of Mina's opponent. "That wasn't a fight at the end, that was straight up a slaughter! Th-That asshole should be disqualified for taking things too far, not fucking advancing!"

"Language, Young Man!" Recovery Girl hissed, more quietly. "While I understand your frustrations, please calm yourself down and lower that tone. While I am still concerned by that hearing loss, it does no good to shout in a room with a sleeping patient!"

Kaminari flinched and let out a sigh of frustration. "S-Sorry," Kaminari whispered.

"Forgiven, and as much as I sympathize with your feelings regarding this situation, it changes nothing," Recovery Girl explained. "Katsuki Bakugou, despite his violent actions and rage, hasn't broken any rules or exceeded any restrictions." Noticing that the students were frowning and ready to argue back, Recovery Girl raised her hand and continued. "The rules of the final event were clearly stated. The only ways one is eliminated from the running are if they are pushed out of bounds, the opponent announces their surrender, or if they are captured or rendered immobile and unable to compete. Do you believe that immobile simply meant caught in a cage of vines or completely frozen?" Kaminari and Serena flinched at the emphasis on their matches. "The only other method of disqualification would be the use of excess and lethal force against an otherwise defeated opponent that can't defend against or survive against their attack. Despite how it appeared, Mr. Bakugou had still enough sense in him to not mortally wound Ms. Ashido, and since he was not captured, knocked out of bounds, or conceded the match, he can advance."

Pikachu's frown only grew deeper. That was perhaps what was the most frustrating aspect to Katsuki Bakugou. No matter how ruthless he can be, and how cruel a beating he can bring, he is still quite intelligent, and he knows just how far he can deliver a beating and snake his way out of trouble. He would always stop his beatings of Izuku to where the boy would not be classified as in mortal danger of his injuries, only going so far as to knock him to unconsciousness at worst. He was careful and calculating as to how severe he would take his 'roughhousing' of Izuku whenever adults were around, even in Aldera. As corrupt as that school was, they would have been unable to defend and help Bakugou, or at least excuse him entirely, if the explosive blonde had beaten Izuku within an inch of his life. The bullying was one thing, but being fully calculative of how much he could get away with and taking it, Pikachu couldn't think of anything more disgustingly evil.

"So, that's it? Bakugou just beats our friend to this state, and we can just suck it?" Serena angrily questioned.

"Watch the tone, young lady," Recovery Girl wagged her cane at Serena. "I am not excusing or defending Mr. Bakugou's actions, nor am I making light of Ms. Ashido's injuries. I am merely stating the facts as it is. This isn't the first time a student has been injured to where they were put in this bed. The Sports Festival, however glamorous as it may appear on television, is no stranger to violence, and yet we excuse it all the same as if it were any sports game, and just like those sports we have measures and means of safety and medical care that most would turn a blind eye to it. It is however different a situation when it involves someone you care about."

The students were rendered quiet, unable to argue with how true, if not frustrating, Recovery Girl's words were. They had all witnessed the Sports Festival before when they watched the event through their T.V. screens and didn't once think too hard whenever one of the competitors was taken away on a stretcher like Ashido was to get healed.

"However, rest assured, if I know that rodent of a principal of ours, he will not let this go easily," Recovery Girl threw out a bone to them. "From what I know, the boy was already walking on eggshells for his past actions against Mr. Midoriya, and this violent display of force and cruelty will not go unreviewed or unpunished."

'If only you knew,' Izuku bitterly thought to himself, the old nurse not even knowing just how far Bakugou's treatment could last or extend. Izuku's brushed away a strand of hair from Mina's eyes. 'And now, instead of just me, he hurts those I care about to get to me.' Todoroki and his treatment of Yaoyorozu came up again in his mind, only worsening his already foul mood. 'I guess Todoroki was right in how they are my weakness.'

"-dori..." Izuku blinked out of his thoughts, his ears barely picking up the words as he stared down at Mina with an almost panicked look in his eyes. They relaxed when Mina's eyes were still closed, her breathing light of someone still sleeping. "Mi...dori..." Mina muttered in her sleep, subconsciously leaning her head to Midoriya's hand.

No matter how sweet it was, it stung like a knife through Izuku's heart, his frown quivering. Ultimately, Izuku gently placed his whole hand over Mina's head and the pinkette leaned towards it, almost purring in response in her sleep. Izuku couldn't explain it, but at that moment, he felt connected to her, bonded in a way, and he felt he would burn the whole world in retribution for her suffering.

Recovery Girl looked at the television and frowned. "I believe the time draws near, Midoriya," The U.A. nurse said to the boy, the attention of the students drawn to their most silent member. "I believe they will call you over at any time now."

Izuku remained still, unmoving in his sentinel-like watch over Mina Ashido.

Serena sighed and walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Izu, you need to go," Serena urged her best friend. "It's okay. We'll watch over her."

After a few moments, Izuku finally spoke, "Okay." He removed his hand from Mina, almost regretting it after seeing how she frowned without it. With a heavy heart, Izuku turned away, marching towards the door, ignorant of the transparent blue wisp that once connected his hand with Mina's head.

"Good luck, bro," Kaminari nodded at Izuku as he passed, Izuku nodding in silent reply.

"Good luck, 'Zuku," Momo wished her crush good luck, the other girls nodding and wishing fortune towards him. "Just don't do anything stupid."

Izuku paused at the door, looking back and smiling softly. "No promises," Midoriya replied, before frowning once more and walking out the door, leaving his Pokémon and friends to watch over the pinkette.

Izuku's path to his destination was silent and stoic, his only company the thoughts in his head, thoughts that tried to make sense of what had happened. Izuku knew more than anyone how cruel Bakugou could be, and he was certain that some part of his attack on Mina was based on the fact that she was his friend. 'But was that the only reason why he hurt her this badly? Or was it something else?' Izuku questioned.

Izuku looked over what had happened in their match and realized that something more must have occurred between the two during their match that he couldn't have heard from his position in the stands. Something that made Mina snap and slap Bakugou across the face with acid, made Bakugou this outwardly violent in front of the viewing world with absolutely no care. Something that made Bakugou try to look at him in almost smug satisfaction. It was personal, and Izuku wanted to know why.

It was then that his march was met by a new arrival: Katsuki Bakugou.

Izuku had passed the stairs when he noticed the ash-blonde teen halfway up, staring at him with surprise. A claw-like burn mark still marred his left cheek, the angry red of the burn dying down to a light pink as it cooled, but it was clear the burn would scar, a permanent reminder of their match and, Izuku knew, a permanent sign of humiliation of what state an extra left him in.

Izuku spotted how that surprise was quickly becoming rage but, for once, Izuku didn't care. Instead, he only gave a glare to his former tormenter and turned and began walking away.

But then Bakugou was never one to leave without the final word.

"You told her, didn't you?" Bakugou's question stopped Izuku in his tracks. Midoriya registered from his steps that Bakugou had walked up the stairs to his level. "After all this time of keeping your whining mouth shut, you told her, told them." Bakugou's fists inside his pockets trembled in growing outrage. "I knew that you must have told that Sea Bitch about the past from how angry she was toward me, but I thought it was only her you spilled the beans to."

Izuku's head perked up, his eyes widening. 'D-Does he mean...does he think that I told Mina about our past?' Izuku realized as he connected the dots. It all lined up. Why Mina looked particularly vengeful towards Bakugou, why Bakugou had a look of momentary surprise during the fight before he exploded in newfound fury; Mina must have revealed she knew about their past and tried to get a confession out of him, and whatever he said must have confirmed her suspicions and it escalated from there. 'But how did she find out?'

At Izuku's silence, Bakugou only grew angrier, now growling. "What, got nothing to say?! Think you're such a big shot with your new, bullshit Quirk that you can just blab to your extra friends to gain their sympathy?!" Bakugou roared mockingly at him, his teeth clenched in anger and insecurity. "That because you have power now that you can look down on me?!" Izuku's body shook momentarily. Bakugou believing it was silent laughter, his rage exploded again. "ANSWER ME, YOU SHITTY DE-"

Before Bakugou could grab onto Izuku's shoulder, Izuku's hand lashed out and gripped onto the wrist, stopping the teen cold in his approach. Izuku's head fully turned and met Bakugou's eyes with his furious eyes. Bakugou could feel a momentary shiver run down his spine, something that if he wasn't so proud and arrogant, he would have registered was fear.

"I didn't tell her anything," Izuku replied, his tone heavy and forced from held-back fury. "That's what this was all about? Do you think I just told her about our past to gain sympathy? To feel better about myself by ratting you out? Are you that narcissistic?! Next thing I know you'll likely accuse me of coming up with how she fought against you."

Bakugou blinked at how Deku spoke towards him, still finding it alien having this former weakling now talk back and glaring at him. His anger and pride flared once more, but he didn't open his mouth before Izuku continued.

"You're right that Serena knows everything, but I didn't tell anyone else. I begged her not to tell anyone else, and I trust that she didn't," Izuku told truthfully, his grip on Bakugou's wrist tightening. "Not even the teachers know for all I know. Do you know why? Because I thought you could change. Because I thought, after everything, we could move on. Not even as friends, even I'm passed forgiveness, but I thought we could just forget, that you could grow and be a better man. My mistake."

Izuku harshly tossed away Bakugou's hand from him, the blonde momentarily stumbling from the sudden action before correcting himself. "Believe all you want, but I never told Mina anything about us, nor the others, and I don't know how she found out, but that doesn't matter," Izuku continued, glaring at Bakugou with glowing green eyes. "You crossed a line. You could hurt me, hate me, call me whatever any time all you want, but you crossed a line in that fight. You did the unforgivable and went after my friend because she hurt your mountain-sized ego. You are so petty and self-righteous that you'll blame anything on me to look like the good guy, but you aren't, and never will."

Izuku turned around and began walking away, before stopping again. "I do hope you make it to the finals, Bakugou. Hell, I know you'll make it there," Izuku called out. "And I'll be there to show you that messing with my friends is the biggest mistake of your life."

Izuku walked away, not caring for the fuming blonde who glared daggers at him. Instead, Izuku thought back to Todoroki.

"Your friends," Todoroki had said. "They are as much your weakness as they are your strength..."

'You're right, Todoroki, they are my biggest weakness, but they are also my biggest strength,' Izuku declared. 'And when you hurt them, I will have nothing holding me back.'

---

"WAHOOO! WE ARE WITNESSING THE GREATEST ARM-WRESTLING MATCH IN THE PLAYBOOKS PEOPLE!" Present Mic exclaimed in sheer excitement.

Down at the field, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu had their hands clutched together in a death grip, both using their Quirks to harden themselves as they pushed their hand against the other while their other hand clawed at the side of block Cementoss made for their arm-wrestling match. Said Hero and Midnight stood by, carefully refereeing to their competition to see who would win out, all while the crowd roared in the background.

"Kirishima or Tetsutetsu! Whoever prevails will move on to the second round! Let's Go!" Present Mic announced, excitedly.

As Kirishima arm wrestled, memories of what had happened before this came up. Getting cleared and out of Recovery Girl's room just as the U.A. bots delivered Mina's bruised and soot-covered body, the sight more horrific to him in person than watching it on T.V. As he and Tetsutetsu were called down, he saw Midoriya, and the others rush past him to get to Recovery Girl's room. Kirishima tried to get out an apology for Bakugou's actions, but the words wouldn't come out, because he knew there was no excusing them. Serena only gave him a blank stare and that was all that was needed for him to know that whatever he was going to say was not needed.

The shame, the horror, the anger, seeing Bakugou's unmanly, savage face as he attacked his best friend, Kirishima's teeth ground harder, and his grip grew stronger, letting his anger fuel him to where he looked like a pure, white-eyed beast.

As he did, Tetsutetsu's steel hand cracked. Tetsutetsu groaned, the sudden pain loosening his strength. Sensing his vulnerability, Kirishima roared as he drove the hands down, Tetsutetsu's crashing down on the block.

"Kirishima is the winner!" Midnight announced. "Add him to the bracket!"

"Kirishima earns a spot in the 2nd round!" Present Mic declared to the roaring crowd.

While Kirishima roared in victory, the only people he had on his mind were Mina and Bakugou, the anger they had towards each other that led to that fight, and Midoriya somehow in the middle of all of it. 'I'm going to find out what's going on,' Kirishima declared to himself. 'And I know who I got to face to find out.'

"Aww! Damn my metal deficiency!" Tetsutetsu cursed, his Quirk deactivated, on his knees and holding his injured wrist. "I should've eaten more iron this morning."

"Hey man," Tetsutetsu looked up to see Kirishima looking down on him, the sun shining on him as he raised a hand toward his opponent. "You put up a good fight."

Tetsutetsu was taken momentarily by surprise. "Heh," Tetsutetsu scoffed, grinning as the sun shone down on him, too. "Guess I was too quick to judge your class. You're quite the Manly guy, Kirishima." Tetsutetsu grabbed Kirishima's hand.

"Oh! So Chivalrous!" Midnight cooed, hands on her cheeks and squirming in delight.

'Calm yourself, woman,' Cementoss kept his reprimand to himself, knowing it would be but in vain.

"And now we got a full roster for the next round of the tournament!" Present Mic declared, Kirishima's name and image advancing on the digital bracket with the rest of the previous winners while the defeated students' faces darkened. Now the bracket read:

1. Izuku Midoriya vs Tenya Iida

2. Shoto Todoroki vs Ochaco Uraraka

3. Ibara Shiozaki vs Fumikage Tokoyami

4. Ejiro Kirishima vs Katsuki Bakugou

"Let's get the party started now, ya dig?!" Mic raised the hype of the crowd.

---

Meanwhile, in his locker room, Iida sat silently as his phone rang by his ear. His four Pokémon waited beside him silently as well, while their Trainer awaited a response.

'Kirishima's and Tetsutetsu's tiebreaker should be over soon. And then...then it will be me and Midoriya,' Iida flinched as he remembered how he left the group to rest up before their round, despite his opponent staying behind for Ashido. It ate at Iida with guilt that he left no matter what reassurances the group gave him, but he needed to focus and calm himself. And...and he wanted the time to call his brother. He had tried calling Tensei earlier this morning but was unable to reach him, and round after round he found himself unable to call his older brother and role model.

First, it was preparing for the 1st event with Doduo, then it was forming a team for the 2nd event with Todoroki, which Iida still regretted after all he had heard of the son of Endeavor. Then, he prepared himself and drank as much orange juice as he could to fuel up his Quirk for the final event. He couldn't even call him during Midoriya's match, especially after the display of his power, which only greatened his nerves. Afterward, he was too depressed after the humiliation he faced under Hatsume's trickery and using him as a guinea pig for her inventions.

But now, he had a chance, just before his fated fight with Midoriya. His Class Rep, the one who promoted him to Chief Class Officer so that he may prove his worth as a leader, a rival that has thus far surpassed time and time again. After Midoriya's trickery in the 2nd event and his display of pure, raw power in his match against Shinsou, Tenya needed to hear from his brother, hoping that his support might fuel him too, to help him surpass his rival.

But even then, doing so came with its own consequences. Yaoyorozu, his Deputy Rep, now needed her friends to win the Festival for her to end her arranged engagement with Todoroki, brought forth unfairly by her parents. 'Disgraceful,' Iida thought of the heiress's parents. Even as pressuring and of popular status as they were, his parents would never impose such a thing on him or Tensei. Perhaps his uncle...but it didn't matter. He was not around or the head of the family, and he had no say whatsoever.

But regardless, she either needed to win the Festival herself or have someone representing her win it for her.

And now, out of all of them, there were just three of them left. Midoriya, Uraraka, and himself. Todoroki's victory would cement the engagement in stone, and there was almost 0% chance that Bakugou would support Yaoyorozu's struggle by the very nature of her being Midoriya's friend. Perhaps they could convince Kirishima, Shiozaki, and Tokoyami to fight for her honor, they were honorable and upstanding classmates, and the former would surely find this whole arrangement 'Unmanly' as he would say, but one was of Class B and didn't know them that well, and it would be shameful to ask such a high burden of his two classmates.

That left the three of them again and they would be forced to fight each other. He didn't want to think badly of her, but he had seen Todoroki's strength, and he was unsure if Uraraka would prevail against him as Serena did. And even if she did, she would then be forced to fight either himself or Midoriya, whoever comes out the victor of their match. At most, that leaves a 50-50 shot between two out of three of them, but then Todoroki and Bakugou were major variables that stood against them. If Todoroki defeats Uraraka, he will face either himself or Midoriya and the chances of victory would be all the slimmer. And that was without calculating who would end up the final opponent of the Festival.

With such a nauseatingly important and stressful responsibility, Tensei's voice felt like the perfect way to clear the storm of uncertainty in his mind.

Finally, the phone quit ringing and, to his disappointment, went to voicemail. "Hello, this is Tensei Iida," His brother's voice spoke automatically. "I'm currently on a mission. Please leave a voicemail and I'll pick it up later. Don't worry, I'll be back in a flash!" Tenya snickered at his brother's classic quip. He remembered how his older brother wanted it to be the family motto, yet he was always so apprehensive, claiming that it would be disgraceful if they wouldn't fulfill their oath on the high chance of a time-consuming mission or responsibility. It always brought laughter to his older brother and before he knew it, he was infected with that contagious laughter too.

Already finding some clarity, even with just the voicemail of his brother, Iida sighed, ending the call. He looked at the icon his family had for his brother: a bottle of grape juice. Iida smiled, where his Engine Quirk needed orange juice as fuel, it was grape juice that Tensei's Quirk required. Another thing that tied the two brothers together.

"Oh well, I guess not now," Tenya accepted. "I'll call you later brother, we'll talk then."

Hearing Present Mic's voice over the intercoms, announcing Kirishima's victory and the start of the next round of matches, Iida tensed up. He stood from his seat and walked over to the door, looking back to see his Pokémon. "Wish me luck," Iida said.

Lucario, Skarmory, Doduo, and Varoom all made their respective noises of affirmation and support and Iida nodded and smiled in reply.

With his Pokémon's support, and the hope that his brother was watching and rooting him on, Iida walked out the door and toward his next match.

---

"Get hyped up, Sports Fans, we got a special treat for you in this first match of the 2nd round!" Mic announced as the two students walked out of their corridors to the field. "In one corner we got the student who became a crash test dummy last round, but I'm sure he's more determined than ever to show his stuff! From the 1-A Hero Course, it's their Chief Class Officer, Tenya Iida!" Tenya walked up into the field, lifting his glasses further.

"Chief Class Officer?" Itsuka blinked, confused at the unknown title.

"It's basically a 3rd Class Representative title," Itsuka and the rest of her class looked to their side to see an eyeball and mouth belonging to Mezo Shoji address them. "Midoriya and Yaoyorozu created it to have Iida as a third tie-breaking voice and assistant to the two of them."

"Huh, interesting," Itsuka nodded, cupping her chin. 'Not a bad idea. So far, it's just me as Class Rep and Yui as my Vice Rep, but a third voice would be nice to have in case me and Yui come to a disagreement. But who?' Kendo looked over to Nirengeki Shoda, her classmate who gave up his spot in the finals alongside Ojiro for Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki. 'Maybe. It could help cheer him up and reward him for his selfless honor.' She snapped out of her thoughts when she recalled she hadn't thanked the multi-armed teen yet. "Oh, and uh thanks, Shoji-san, right?"

"Correct, and you're welcome," Shoji's eye and mouth nodded and lowered back down.

"And his opponent, he almost got walked out in the last round, but then sure gave us one hell of light show, and he's brawling against his own appointed Officer," Mic continued announcing as Izuku entered the arena, his eyes determined and nearly glowing. "Here's 1-A's Class Rep, Izuku Midoriya!"

"Jeez, way to make it dramatic," Setsuna scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Still, it's a little fucked up they got to face each other."

"Would it be any better if we fought and I had to knock you out of the ring?" Itsuka questioned.

"Oh, it would break my poor, fragile heart!" Setsuna playfully cried, though the grin on her face could not be hidden, and neither could Itsuka's. "Now, hush, I want to see how this is gonna go."

Itsuka blinked, her smile falling as she took in Setsuna's change in demeanor. "You seem pretty interested in Midoriya's fight, just like you did in his last one," Itsuka mentioned, a suspicious tone in her voice.

"What can I say? He's an interesting guy," Setsuna admitted, her eyes not moving away from the field. "I like to know more about interesting things."

"For the sating your curiosity, or is there something more to it?" Itsuka questioned further, raising an eyebrow.

Setsuna chose not to reply, but that in itself spoke volumes for the 1-B Class Rep.

On the other side of the barrier that separated their classes, Kirishima sat down with the rest of his class. As he sat, the Hardening teen could still feel the uncomfortable pressure clouded over the class, a kind of darkness that not even Tokoyami's Dark Shadow seemed to enjoy. Koda looked saddened, his sensitive soul almost about to cry, and Aoyama's constant smile disappeared. Granted, the smile had lost its sparkle after he was disqualified in the first event, but now it was a straight frown. Sato looked uncomfortable and anxious, Mashiro stoic and quiet, and, after informing their rival class of Iida's position, so was Shoji. Tokoyami seemed entirely focused on the field, likely taking further mental notes on how to deal with Iida or Midoriya in the coming matches.

Sero had a look of guilt on his face, the same kind of guilt that Kirishima had and the latter knew perfectly well why. Hell, he was darn sure the reason was also why everyone was so tense now: Bakugou and Mina.

Half of their class is currently overlooking Mina's sleeping form, Todoroki must have gone to prepare for his match after this, Izuku and Iida are down on the field ready to fight, Todoroki must have gone to prepare for his match after this, and Bakugou himself was who knows where. He should have returned long before him, and he didn't spot him heading toward Recovery Girl's room, so the only theory was he was choosing not to come.

'Maybe he doesn't want us to see him like that,' Kirishima pondered, remembering the extent of Bakugou's wounds from his match against Mina, especially the burn scar on his cheek. Kirishima shook his head from the unmanly theory. 'No, no, he must just be changing his uniform. Mina did burn up a lot of it. Yeah, yeah...right?' Kirishima couldn't even tell if he was serious or if he was kidding himself, trying to come up with an excuse for Bakugou, even after what he did to his best friend. 'But it wasn't personal, that's just how he is...right?'

"How's Mina?" Kirishima jerked to the side, finding the question coming from Jiro, whom Kirishima failed to realize sitting on the seat next to his. Jiro took her eyes off the field to side-glance at him.

Realizing, she was still expecting an answer, Kirishima sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I'm not sure," Kirishima admitted, sadly frowning as he stared at nothing but the floor. "She looked pretty banged up, but she'll pull through. I know it. She's too Manly to do otherwise."

Jiro raised an eyebrow, turning away from him to back on the field. "You didn't go over to check on her?" Jiro asked further.

"She's already got Yaomomo, Mariella, and the others looking out for her. Recovery Girl might start whining that her place is getting too crowded," Kirishima's attempt at a joke failed to put a smile on his or Jiro's face. "But-"

"But?" Jiro inquired, sideways glancing at him again.

"I don't think I would be welcomed," Kirishima answered.

Jiro put two and two together quickly. "Because of Bakugou," Jiro stated the obvious.

Kirishima nodded. "I was the one who tried to bring us all together," Kirishima confessed. "I thought we would make a pretty good friend group, like Midoriya's. I thought if I had Mina hang out with us, she would see how cool Bakugou was and they would be friends too."

"And that didn't go so well, did it," Jiro stated.

"No, no it didn't," Kirishima nodded, his frown only deepening in sadness.

"Did Bakugou ever say anything while you two hung out?' Jiro asked. Kirishima looked at her, surprised, but she didn't meet his gaze. "About who he was before U.A.? His past? Midoriya?"

Kirishima was taken aback by Jiro's out-of-the-blue question. "N-No, whenever I did, he would cage up and just yell 'None of your business, Shitty Hair'," Kirishima recalled verbatim one of his previous failed attempts. "Wait, why ask about Midoriya? What's he got to do with any of this?"

"...Nothing," Jiro replied. "I mean they did know each other before U.A., much like you and Mina. Just curious."

"Y-Yeah, I get that," Kirishima was unsatisfied with the answer, but he felt that was all he was going to get from Jiro, so he decided to just let it be.

Though, when he looked back at her, her gaze was serious, hardened, and fixated on one person: Midoriya.

---

Inko didn't know what to do.

Since the Festival began, she and Mitsuki had reconciled that their sons would face off against each other, that in an event where students would face turbulent trials the likelihood of either one of their children experiencing harm was high; they even feared that the inevitable fight between the two former childhood friends would get rough as old wounds were laid bare. But Bakugou's first match was not what they were expecting.

Inko looked to her right, gazing at the parents of the boy. Normally, parents seeing their child succeed would normally warrant looks of pride and joy, but the faces of Mitsuki and Masaru Bakugou were anything but proud or joyful.

Masaru looked like he rapidly aged more than 10 years just then. His face was frozen in a state of horror, his eyes of one clearly struggling to accept what he had just seen of his own son's capabilities but Reality, in all its cruelty, was undeniable and so was the extent to which Katsuki Bakugou's rage could unleash. His face grew ever more haunted, the shame of his son's actions and parental obligation to support his son clashing in a tumultuous and complex inner turmoil. It only grew worse by the minute and Inko could only imagine what Masaru, the kind soul, was possibly thinking.

Mitsuki was in a state that Inko had never seen her best friend before: in tears. Sure, she has seen Mitsuki cry before, despite what her fiery attitude may suggest otherwise. She had seen her best friend cry tears of joy and love when Masaru proposed and again when she gave birth to baby Katsuki and was witness to Izuku's birth as well. Imagining that day now made it all the harder to imagine how that beautiful-looking baby would grow up to look like an unhinged beast just now. Inko, for all she knew of Mitsuki Bakugou, could guess that her friend was thinking the same, only with an added knife twist that she was the one that raised that boy, and look what happened.

Mitsuki was a babbling mess of words that half-died as they came out of her mouth, unable to fully produce the words but Inko knew what they likely were.

"'Suki," Inko's use of her nickname snapped Mitsuki from her sputtering and tears to fully face her, Mitsuki's wide eyes meeting Inko's sad yet comforting ones. "It's not your fault."

"No, it is," Mitsuki shook her head. "I was the one that raised him, infected him with all my shitty personality. I did nothing to stop my baby from being turned into some...some..." Mitsuki couldn't say the word, and Inko didn't have to know her friend to know that the word would be 'monster'.

"No, it's mine, too," Masaru snapped out of his trance, wrapping an arm around his crying wife, his face full of shame. "I should have been around more, should have been there to help you teach and guide him more firmly. That's my job as a husband and a father. If anyone is to blame for not leading him down the right path-"

"No, stop right there, the both of you!" Inko snapped, yelling at the two with a firm and disciplinary voice that only a mother could make. It worked to produce both of the Bakugous full attention. "None of this! Do you want the truth? Yes, perhaps it was your fault. Perhaps you should have been firmer with him, and perhaps you should have sought to be a better example on him." The shame and tears only grew between the two parents, but Inko continued. "But perhaps it wasn't your fault. Perhaps it was Aldera's, and the kindergartens', and all those teachers, the adults, and kids that poisoned his mind with the idea that he has to be the best at everything. Perhaps it was them that had him turn against my baby and grew that anger inside him. I wish we could condemn them; I truly wish we could make them pay for all it did to both of them, but the sad truth is that there isn't."

"We can blame each other for being terrible parents, for not being the best parents for both our children. Arceus knows that I am just at fault for my son's insecurities and trust issues," Inko grabbed Mitsuki's hands and cupped and rubbed them comfortably. "But it will not change the past. Just like all the rest, we have to accept our sins and bear them, but wallowing in them will only drown us." Inko felt a tear run down her cheek as she remembered her talks with Toshinori, how she laid her soul, and her sins bare for him to judge her, and he instead comforted and supported her in her quest to redeem herself to her son. Even now, his most impactful words came to her and out of her mouth. "Instead, we have to swim."

The Bakugous looked at her in complete shock, mouths agape, and tears still in their eyes. Finally, Mitsuki sniffled, removing her hands from Inko's and bringing them to her eyes, wiping them. Inko heard her chuckling, and she removed her hands, a small smile on her best friend's lips. "Did your boyfriend come up with that cheesy line?" Mitsuki questioned, her old mirth returned, if only slightly.

Inko had the decency to blush, but as Mitsuki started to crack further from her reaction, Inko couldn't help but join her sad chuckling. Even Masaru jumped in. Afterward, she received a hug from both of the parents, which Inko made sure to hug as tightly as possible.

"Thank you, Inki'," Mitsuki used the nickname for Inko, smiling gratefully. "I truly don't know how much I owe you for being such a good friend."

"And you'll never need to," Inko replied.

Mitsuki's small smile grew before falling back to a frown. "You're right. Blaming myself is going to do jack shit now," Mitsuki's eyes gained a fire of determination. "When all this is over, I'm going to confront that boy, and I'm going to set him straight. It might not work, perhaps it's already too late, but that won't stop me from trying regardless."

"We'll both try," Masaru jumped in, a hand over his wife's. "And even if we fail at first, we won't stop trying. No matter what he's done or has become, he's still our son. We won't give up on him."

Mitsuki nodded in agreement. "And we'll be there for you and Izuku, whatever you need," Mitsuki affirmed. "And if that includes sending a wrecking ball straight through that fucked-up school, I'll be there in a heartbeat."

Inko giggled. Just as Mitsuki was ever grateful that she was her friend, Inko was likewise grateful for Mitsuki. Despite her fiery, perhaps abrasive attitude, Mitsuki is not anything except loyal, and woe be to anyone that hurts those she's loyal to.

Afterward, the three enjoyed a stretch of relative silence despite the constant chatter of the crowd and the announcements of Present Mic. By the time her son was called in for his next match, Mitsuki's tears were wiped away and she cheered for Inko's son just as fiercely as she would her own.

Inko smiled as Mitsuki's loyalty and support extended toward her son, but her smile wavered as she truly pondered how long that would last when Katsuki and Izuku would inevitably clash.

And Inko could only hide the shame under her mask of a smile. Mitsuki would cheer and love Izuku like the nephew she never had, but Inko, for all she could forgive and forget, could not help but imagine Katsuki Bakugou's treatment of that poor girl. She remembered from what Izuku described of his friends that the girl was one of them, a pink girl with yellow horns and amazing eyes. And when Inko saw that girl that was her son's friend, she couldn't help seeing her son in the girl's place. Even if what Bakugou delivered to the girl was but a fraction of what he did to her baby boy for all these years, it was utterly unforgivable to her.

Mitsuki may love and root for Izuku, but Inko couldn't do the same for Katsuki.

---

Down on the field, Izuku and Iida stood on opposite ends, gazing at each other with hard stares. They said nothing as Mic announced them or made note of their positions as Chief Class Officer fighting against the very Class Rep that appointed him. Instead, the two gazed into each other's eyes, almost having an entire conversation without words, and nodded.

'This fight is nothing personal, not like before,' Iida put to thoughts the silent agreement between himself and Midoriya. He still felt weighed by guilt for abandoning him for Todoroki's team, and he could tell that a small part of Izuku still felt bitter about it too, but they both understand Iida's desire to prove himself just as Izuku feels determined to win for Momo and now Mina. Even if they were rivals, by Iida's decree, and friends and class representatives, what mattered now was the match, and nothing else.

'Yaoyorozu's plight is understandably important to you, as is for me, and I promised to help her as well should I win the Festival, but I cannot give up this fight. It would be disgraceful for both of us and all of U.A. if I give up without a fight,' Iida shifted his body, preparing for a running start. 'I will prove myself to be able to defeat you, so I will make this quick and push him over the line. I give Midoriya enough time to use his analytical mind and it will be just like the 2nd event. I have to end this as quickly as I can.'

Meanwhile, Izuku's mind ran a mile a minute, plans and strategies thought up and then thrown out the proverbial window as quickly as they came. 'I have to think of something fast or I'll leave myself open for Iida to push me out,' Izuku flinched as he recalled just how Momo got defeated in her match. 'Iida is sure to try and end this quickly by using his Recipro Burst and pushing me past the line. With Full Cowling, I have the greater physical strength, and Iida's probably thinking he can't afford for me to out-strengthen him.'

A mental scenario played in his mind of Iida coming straight at him at the same eye-blinking speeds that caught him off guard in the 2nd event. 'Even if I try to throw a punch or kick in anticipation of where he might be, he'll just readjust his course and come at me from my sides, and I won't be fast enough to keep up and figure out which side he might take,' The scenario changed to imagining two other possible Iida's coming at him from, at the same time, to either his left or right while the original Iida prediction still kept at him. Hell, his mind even conjured up the probability of Iida coming at him from behind as a way to surprise him 'I have to think of something that will allow me to hit him no matter what angle he comes from.'

The option that came to him immediately was just as dismissed as well. 'Even if I could somehow channel my Aura again for another Burst, it's too slow,' Izuku remembered how he managed to use it against Setsuna for a similar dilemma but saw that it wasn't an option here. 'It takes too long for me to harness it compared to Full Cowling, and it's a constant gamble that it will even work. Even if by a miracle I managed to form another, I could be out of bounds before I even form it stable enough. And again, it's a gamble to pull it off, much less favorably if by the chance I might go overboard and break my hand like back at the US-'

Izuku's eyes widened as his mind hit a 'Eureka' moment. 'It's still risky, but it's my only shot so far,' Izuku decided, getting himself ready for what he needed to do.

"Fighters, ready?" Midnight raised her whip into the air, looking at the two students, both of whom nodded.

"Let the First Match of the 2nd Round BEGIN!" Mic yelled.

Immediately, Iida's engines fired. "Recipro-" Iida began to yell.

Izuku raised his hand slightly, Full Cowling sparking wildly as his thumb met his middle finger.

"BURST!" Tenya roared as he shot like a rocket, heading straight at Midoriya. To the youngest son of the Iida family, it felt like the world and everyone in it was moving sluggishly while he was the only normal one. Iida was nearly right on Midoriya, reaching out to push him but prepared to change course and come at him from behind in case he tried to counterattack.

When Iida saw his hand right arm move forward, he nearly did, but then he noticed Izuku's hand. It wasn't in a fist like he would normally assume; the thumb was over the middle finger. It was in a flicking motion.

"DELAWARE SMASH!" Izuku snapped his fingers, and a great burst of wind and pressure struck the ground, instantly cracking and crushing it, and Iida, who tried to avoid to his right could not avoid the blast of wind that forced him back.

The whole stadium of people was forced to cover their faces, some even trying to preserve their snacks and drinks, as a sudden whirlwind blew against them, the stadium's security system activating and blocking the blasts of wind that were too strong to just be a massive breeze. Inko and the Bakugous braced against each other, Masaru trying his best to cover and shield both women, mentally thankful that his wife put away the Inko-Waterfall umbrella. Nejire did her best to preserve some of the stability of her long hair blowing against the strong winds while also trying to keep her skirt from flying up. Tamaki noticed the latter and blushed crimson as he tried to look away in another direction that wasn't straight in front of the blowing winds. Mirio was however a victim of strong winds and Nejire's hair, the latter smacking him in the face repeatedly, coughing and sputtering as his excited mouth was open for it. With Shinsou, he and another classmate were forced to hang onto one of Mineta's arms, so he didn't fly away. Mei covered her eyes with her goggles and laughed maniacally at her Future Husband's power, uncaring of the tiny 'baby' that flew out of her hands unfinished.

"HOLY SHIT!" Setsuna cursed as she braced against the winds with Pony while the rest of 1-B did similarly, some taking up residence behind Itsuka's enlarged palm.

"WHAT THE-! A MASSIVE GUST OF WIND JUST CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!" Present Mic exclaimed. "IS THIS ANOTHER OF MIDORIYA'S LIGHTSHOWS?!"

Aizawa beside the exclaiming announcer narrowed his eyes through his mummified body. "He did it again," The teacher muttered.

All Might gaped in surprise at the sudden use of 100% of One For All; that much power was the only reason this massive gust of wind occurred. The Symbol of Peace was left wondering what Midoriya was thinking.

Kirishima shielded Jiro from the wind against his hardened body while others took refuge bracing against their arms, behind Shoji, or their seats. As Jiro squinted and peeked from the openings of Kirishima's shielding, she pondered 'This wind pressure. Is this like back in the Battle Training Exercise?'

"HOOOWEE! NOW THAT'S QUITE THE BREEZE!" Miruko laughed as her platinum hair blew with the wind yet stood still and her arms crossed like it was nothing. Miruko's Lopunny only had one hand covering her face while her big ears flopped with the wind.

"Quite the understatement," Ryukyu merely raised her hand to keep her claw half-face mask secure, while the bottom of her qipao also blew with the wind.

Endeavor narrowed his eyes, even as the wind blew against his flames. 'This power. This wind. I felt it before,' Endeavor thought as his thought turned to one of All Might's infamous Smashes.

Cementoss was quick to shield both himself and Midnight from the wind with a wall of cement.

While all this was happening in a matter of a few seconds, Iida tried to reorient himself. 'That technique,' Iida's mind recalled the end of his Battle Training match against Midoriya and Uraraka, and the massive blast of wind that tore through the bottom of the floor. 'Like the Exercise.' His memory took him further to Aizawa's Quirk Apprehension Test. 'And Mr. Aizawa's tests. Midoriya used 100% of his power into that blast, the resulting wind able to hit me no matter where I went. But it's not as strong as the one from the Exercise.' Iida realized as the winds began to die down. 'The way his fingers were pointed toward the floor, he flicked his fingers to create it and leave as little broken bones as possible, like in the tests.'

As the winds ceased their push, Iida shook it off. 'I gotta speed up. I lost 3, maybe 4, seconds with that blast.' Iida counted, narrowing his eyes back to where Midoriya would be. 'I gotta push Midoriya off-'

Iida blinked as the place where Midoriya was held nothing but a broken crater of blast's epicenter. "Where did-" Iida stopped when he noticed the sound of something landing behind him. That was when Iida fully figured it out. While Iida was reorienting back towards Midoriya, the teen himself flew over and landed right behind him. Iida quickly turned, his wide eyes meeting Izuku's scaringly determined ones, his green bioelectricity sparking all around him. A quick glance at his right hand showed that both the thumb and middle finger were swollen purple and broken.

"UNBELIEVABLE!" Present Mic exclaimed. "MIDORIYA SOMEHOW VAULTED OVER IIDA DURING THAT BLAST AND HIS FINGERS ARE BROKEN!"

Over with Serena and others in Recovery Girl's room, the nurse of whom was cursing and raging at Midoriya, Serena and Asui recognized what Izuku did. 'Just like in the USJ at the Shipwreck Zone,' Serena recalled the event, Izuku's Delaware Smash creating the whirlpool that sucked up the aquatic Villains.

'He sacrificed two of his fingers to catch Iida by surprise and vault over him and attack from behind instead,' Asui finished Serena's train of thought.

Uraraka, Hagakure, and Momo gaped at the level of power that one full-powered snap from Midoriya could do yet flinched at the sight of his broken fingers. Uraraka and Hagakure remembered when Izuku used 100% of his Quirk to destroy the Zero Pointer in the Entrance Exam and how they saved him from falling to his death, and yet they likewise saw how his arm and legs were broken from such power. It was a disturbing and worrying sight back when they were strangers to each other, much less now that they were friends, and even held fellow crushes for the boy. Momo had only witnessed when broke his finger during Aizawa's test and the video footage of his use during the Battle Training Exercise and both left the Yaoyorozu heiress in awe of her friend's strength and determination to win even if it meant costing a limb, and yet also heartbroken seeing how much he is willing to hurt himself without any seeming care for himself.

Izuku's Pokémon could sense the incredible, if a bit numbing pain of Izuku's move, flinching as they did.

"That reckless idiot," Combusken cursed.

"Say something about our boss that isn't obvious," Pikachu snarked.

"Your infatuation with the Koda boy's Buneary," Froakie said.

"Why you-!" Pikachu ceased his near attack on Froakie as Combusken smacked him over the head without looking.

"Izuku," Eevee muttered, worried yet cheering for his Trainer.

Elsewhere, Todoroki watched it all unfold in his waiting room, narrowing his eyes at the T.V. screen, and with Bakugou, as he glared at a wall, he heard both the blast and Present Mic's voice and growled in hatred.

Back on the field, as Iida registered Izuku landing he likewise picked up that Izuku was zooming towards him. 'Curses!' Iida mentally cursed, Izuku trying to rush at him with a full-body tackle. Iida's engines continued firing as he turned his whole body around and was forced to shift to his left and around the elbow attack. 'Now!' Iida yelled, but his panicked mind only barely caught the sight of a leg coming at him. Midoriya's full-body tackle was a feint for a leg strike to where Iida would be and the blue-haired teen fell for it. 'No! I can't evade!' Iida barely got his arms up as the leg made contact.

"SMASH!" Izuku yelled as his right leg struck and knocked Iida backward.

"And Midoriya strikes at Iida!" Mic announced as the crowd resumed their cheering.

Instantly, Izuku was on Iida, tossing a flurry of punches and kicks never giving Iida an inch or opening as he was forced to remain on a defensive retreat. A defensive he was losing. Iida growled as his arms and body felt like they were getting hit by sledgehammers. 'I have to get out of this quickly!' Iida chastised himself, his panicking mind trying to come up with a counterattack. 'I already lost track of my seconds. My engines can stall any second.' As Izuku brought his fist back for a punch, Iida saw his opening. 'There!'

Iida ducked under the left punch and sped as fast as he could around Midoriya to his right side. 'Midoriya will not be able to defend as much with two broken fingers,' Iida rationalized his plan, his eyes aimed at the end of the arena's bounds. 'Now!'

"RRRAAAAAHHHH!" Iida roared as he began pushing Izuku incredibly fast.

"AND IIDA SLIPS OUT OF MIDORIYA'S ONSLAUGHT AND IS HEADING TOWARD THE END OF THE FIELD!" Mic roared.

"Izuku!" Inko yelled out, worried that her son was about to lose.

'No choice!' Izuku declared, planting himself as much as he could to the ground, raising his left hand behind him, his thumb over his middle finger, One For All sparking wildly over the fingers.

'Again!' Iida noticed and exclaimed in his mind.

"SMASH!" Izuku snapped his fingers and another Delaware Smash blasted out, the wind pressure blasting out and leaving the crowd bracing against the wind again, the stadium's shielding blocking more of the more directly aimed area to the point where the system strained against the force.

"HE DID IT AGAIN?!" Mic exclaimed and voiced his and everyone's shock.

"He's using the air pressure and wind as a force to stand against Iida's speed," Aizawa explained, eyes narrowing at yet another use of Izuku's Quirk that would leave more broken limbs. Aizawa was proven right as Iida's speed and push were significantly reduced to where Iida looked like a normal person pushing a heavy object, more slowly, yet continuing to push Izuku toward the edge.

Iida groaned against the wind and Midoriya's strength but as the winds began dying down and the force that aided Midoriya faded, Iida began pushing faster. 'Now!' Iida exclaimed as the line was coming closer and closer. 'For my brother, for myself, this is my chance to-'

Just as they were a foot from the line, Iida suddenly stopped. Iida's eyes widened in disbelief. His 10 seconds were up, and his engines stalled to a halt. 'No!'

Seeing his chance, Izuku prepared to counter, but, as if the world had suddenly slowed to a halt, hesitance was still present. This wasn't someone like Shinsou or Todoroki that needed to be taken down a peg, this was Iida, a friend, one of his first real friends. Izuku didn't know if he could do what he needed to.

'But if I don't win, Momo truly loses,' Izuku's mind reminded him and ultimately, he knew what he had to do. 'I'm Sorry for this, Iida.'

Izuku's right hand grabbed Iida's shoulder, growling past the pain of his broken fingers. and pushed Iida's downward, Iida's back lowered to where Izuku's raised elbow was high above him. "WISCONSIN SMASH!" Izuku roared as he brought his whole left arm down onto Iida's back.

The blue-haired teen gaped in pain as he was struck down to the ground so hard, that his stalled legs bounced and were raised into the air. Where they were grabbed by Izuku's hands.

"RRRRAAAAAHHHHHH!" Izuku roared like a beast as he spun Iida around him and out over the line to the green grass of the outside field.

As Iida landed on the rough, Midnight raised her hand. "Tenya Iida is out of bounds! Izuku Midoriya is the winner!"

The crowd exploded into cheers, their roars almost deafening. "AMAZING! IZUKU MIDORIYA WINS ANOTHER MATCH! AND IT ONLY TOOK 10 SECONDS!" Mic declared. "It happened so fast I was barely able to announce anything or make sense of what happened!"

"As I stated previously during the 1st event, Midoriya cannot handle the full power of his Quirk and has to use it in lower percentages," Aizawa explained. "The first blast happened because Midoriya used 100% of his power, thus far, onto the ground with just his fingers, enough to cause a blast wave of wind and launch himself over Iida during that time. He did it again at the end to hold back Iida's advance, all while using it as effectively as possible by minimizing it to just his fingers."

"He Sacrificed His Own Fingers Just TO Win! That's So Hardcore!" Mic gave his loud opinion.

Aizawa gave a respectful nod. "It speaks to Midoriya's unyielding determination to win."

Miruko grinned in approval, a light blush on her cheeks. "Not bad," Miruko commented, granting a nod of respect to the boy even if he didn't know it.

Back over at his house, Riley stared at the screen as it focused on Izuku's panting figure. His eyes narrowed at the sight of his broken fingers, frowning.

Back on the field, Iida groggily started getting up, on his hands and knees. "I lost...again," Iida's eyes were hidden by a glare of his glasses, only his frown showing his deep disappointment. "Even with Recipro, I couldn't win." Finally, Iida sighed, his shoulders slackening. "Oh well, I suppose I still have much to learn."

"Iida," The blue-haired teen heard and looked up to see Izuku standing before him, his hand, two fingers broken, reached out to him. "You did amazing. Well fought."

"Midoriya! B-But your hand-"

"Just take it, Iida," Izuku cut Iida's protest, a fond smile on his face. "That's an order."

Despite witnessing it again and again, Iida was still left in disbelief at Izuku's selfless heart. Finally, with a sigh, Iida accepted, the hand grabbing onto Izuku's forearm. "Yes, sir, Class Rep," Iida replied.

Izuku gripped Iida's forearm in return, ignoring the flaring pain of his broken middle finger and thumb, and lifted the taller teen back onto his feet. Iida groaned, rubbing his back. "S-Sorry, Iida," Izuku apologized, pulling the teen's arm around his shoulders and helping him on their path to the nursery. "I should have lowered the percentage even more. I didn't mean to hit you so hard or fight so hard to knock you out."

"Apology accepted, but unneeded," Iida replied, a sad chuckle escaping his lips. "While yes, the outcome was disappointing, I believe you said that we shouldn't hold back on each other, despite our friendships."

"W-Well, yeah but-" Izuku stuttered, blushing embarrassed.

"Hmm?" Iida raised an eyebrow in question.

"I lowered the power because I didn't want to accidentally break your back," Izuku muttered.

"O-Oh," Iida blinked, the realization finally dawning on him of that possibility. "I see. Well, well ascertained, Midoriya!" Iida's other arm began chopping up and down as he praised his Class Rep. "Just another thing I need to better improve myself!"

"You give me too much credit, Iida," Izuku muttered, a comical sweatdrop over his head.

Iida paid no mind as his thoughts turned to his brother. 'I wonder if you saw me, brother,' Iida pondered to himself. 'I'm sorry. I wonder if you are proud of how far I made it. Well, regardless, I believe Mother said she would record the Festival to rewatch if need be. We can both see it together then.'

---

Meanwhile, back in Hosu City...

"Fame. Money. That's what all you so-called Heroes are really after," A hateful voice growled, his raspy voice echoing throughout the dark alleyway.

By the dumpster, a Corviknight and Skarmory lay by the edge, fainted and missing several of their metal plumage. By knocked out trash cans, a likewise fainted Beedrill was over one of them, one of his wings laying on the floor separated from it, while Escavalier lay knocked out with its lances stuck in the wall it was leaning its unconscious body. Revavroom was upside down, his engines weakly sputtering while a fainted swirl replaced its one eye.

A series of furious blows were heard before a figure shot forward, like a rocket, into the wall, the resulting debris clouding the impact. As it cleared, Lucario slid slump down the crater it left in the wall, before sliding to its lap, his head slumping down while whatever strength was in its left arm died and fell too.

"Rrraaoo..." Lucario weakly moaned, raising its right arm to his right, but whatever it intended to do ceased as unconsciousness took the Pokémon.

To Lucario's right, to where he tried to reach for, were splatters of blood and chipped armor laying on the ground, leading toward Ingenium, laying in a pool of his own blood, his once pristine white armor covered in cracks and stained red. Tensei Iida weakly moaned as his hand could only slowly reach out toward his phone, landing a few feet away from him. The chipped phone showed the icon of an orange and the name 'Tenya' as his missed call.

"But you Bastards are Not Heroes!" A spiked grey sole smashed and crushed the phone.

Tensei's eyes flinched underneath his helmet, his angry, yet fearful eyes gazing up at the figure and his sword, blood, his blood, dripping down its lethal edge. The fallen Hero's eyes picked up on the footsteps of the man's partners walking up next to him, one of them having no qualms about stepping on his hand with their metal foot. Tensei groaned and looked at the shadowy silhouettes of the man's Pokémon, most definitely that of a Bisharp and Gallade, the two wiping their blade arms again with the other.

"Except him. The only one with permission to kill me," The Hero Killer's body was still covered in darkness, his only identifiable features that of his shaggy hair, the ragged flowing scarfs, bandanas, and cloth, and those red hateful eyes of a demon.

"All Might is Worthy."

---

"Hey, Iida, come on," Izuku's voice snapped Iida out of his thoughts. "The sooner we get to Recovery Girl's room the sooner we can fix that back of yours."

"My back will heal on its own, it's your fingers that need medical attention," Iida rebuttal. "Your health is what is important for the next matches. I'm sure Recovery Girl will fix them up quickly."

"Yeah, or she'll knock me unconscious with her cane in anger," Izuku half-heartedly joked.

---

Izuku's intuition was on the right path. Back in Recovery Girl's room, the old nurse was raging and waving her syringe cane at the television screen in anger over Izuku breaking his limbs again and nearly crippling Iida with that hit, all while the others tried to either calm the nurse by reminding her of Mina's sleeping body or trying their best to stay out of the cane's way.

Izuku's Pokémon cheered for Izuku's victory, but they likewise sighed that their Trainer was not out of the woods yet. Not only did he have a furious nurse to deal with when he got back, but he still had two matches after this before he could win the Festival.

Momo smiled at the screen, ultimately pleased with the results. While she had the utmost respect for Iida's abilities as a fighter and as a friend, if there was anyone the Yaoyorozu heiress wished to carry her favor and win the whole Festival, it would be Izuku. Not only did he stand a better chance of winning given his power set and attributes, but the personal attachment and significance of her intended love interest winning the Festival and freeing her from her cruel parent's fate brought a bit of a romantic flavor that had Yaomomo reminiscent of her romantic novels of a white knight saving the princess. While a bit tacky and cliche, it still left a blush on the girl's cheeks.

However, following that analogy, Yaoyorozu was left reminded of the dark noble in the Hero's way, and who would have to face him next.

Momo looked with concern at Uraraka only to find that the auburn-haired girl had somehow vanished under everyone's eye, already left the nurse's room and, most assuredly, heading toward the waiting room or the field.

While doubt and worry clouded her mind, Momo wished the best of luck to Ochaco Uraraka. She knew she would need it all and then some.

While Momo stared at the door sadly, Serena was much the same, her sad and guilty frown apparent on her lips.

---

Ochaco Uraraka walked down the hallway silently, her expressionless eyes fixated on the floor as she walked.

'So, it's my turn again. Against Todoroki,' Ochaco thought to herself, memories of Todoroki's incredible power playing in her mind. Even if it was all with just half of his Quirk, that half still eclipsed her on every level. If she was honest with herself, she saw no chance of advancing at all.

'I'm not as fast as Iida to push him out, I don't have the firepower of Kaminari or Tokoyami, or the Serena's and Yaomomo's haxs, or even Deku's strength,' Ochaco listed the strengths of her classmates and how they stood a better chance than her. All she had was Zero Gravity and that would only work if she touched him, and unlike Sero's tape, she was sure Todoroki's ice wouldn't count. And even if it did and if he was still connected to him, how was she expected to zero the gravity of an entire iceberg?

'This feels as far as I go,' Ochaco conceded, each step was one step closer to her inevitable defeat. 'A bit dramatic? Maybe. But that's how it feels. Can't say I'm not honest, right?'

"Ochaco?" Uraraka heard, snapping her from her thoughts. She looked up to find Izuku and Iida leaning on one another.

"Oh! Deku! Iida, too! Wow, you guys were amazing in that fight! Both of you!" Ochaco ran up to them, forcing out a smile for their sakes. "That was so intense and fast I could barely process, and it was like 'Boom', over!"

"Why yes, thank you, Uraraka for your support," Iida nodded. Izuku was paused, frozen with an expressionless look. "We must apologize if our fight wasn't as prolonged a spectacle as the prior fights."

"Nah! No need to worry! I totally get it!" Uraraka waved away the taller teen's concern before switching to concern herself as she spotted how Iida leaned on Izuku and Izuku's broken fingers. "Oh, right! I almost forgot how you guys were injured! You must be on your way to Recovery Girl's room to get healed up. Well, don't let me stop you! You guys should go on ahead, while I head out for my match."

"Ah, that is right, your next opponent is Todoroki," Iida remembered, concern flaring in his eyes. "Are you sure that you wish to go through with this? Despite his reservations about using his fullest power, he is still quite powerful."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright!" Uraraka waved her hands in front of her, the side of her grinning mouth twitching. "I mean, yeah, he is quite scary and super strong, but I'm okay and-"

"No, you're not."

Ochaco blinked, her smile dropping a bit. "Eh?" The auburn-haired girl looked to Izuku who said those words, Iida likewise stared at him surprised. The verdant-haired teen continued staring at her with that expressionless, serious look. "W-What do you mean Deku?"

"You're not okay, Ochaco. You're good at hiding it, but I know you aren't alright," Izuku repeated, his eyes softening, a soft smile rising on his lips. "I know."

Uraraka believed him, she believed that Izuku could see right through her mask, so she let it down.

Uraraka's smile fully dropped to a frown, and the faux cheer and enthusiasm in her eyes evaporated to show the dull doom in her auburn eyes. "Y-Yeah, you're right, sorry," Ochaco muttered an apology. "I guess I just didn't want you to be worried about me."

"We would be worried regardless," Iida's arm chopped in emphasis. "You're a trusted and cherished colleague and friend facing against a dangerously powerful opponent. We would be worried regardless of whether you succeeded or not."

"Y-You guys really think I could win?" Ochaco's eyes widened.

"Of course," Izuku still softly smiled at her. "You're fast and nimble, and agile too. You could evade and dodge Todoroki's icebergs with the right timing. I have some strategies in my notebooks from what I've seen of both you and Todoroki. If you want, we could go back over to Recovery Girl's room and-"

"No," Uraraka's response stopped Deku's words, the two guys blinking stunned as she saw Uraraka once more with an anxious yet determined look toward the ground. "I mean, I appreciate the help, really, I do, Deku, and I want you to know that at any other time, I would trust your strategies and take them. But...But I have to do this on my own." Uraraka's fists clenched hard. "Even if I lose, even if my strategy doesn't work out, I still have to try and win my way."

Uraraka raised her gaze to the two guys, auburn fire blazing in her eyes. "So, I'm sorry, but I have to pass. I hope you understand."

Izuku stared mesmerized at the fire in her eyes, how much strength was behind them just as how captivating they were. He could even feel a blush rising on his cheeks. And despite his reservations, Izuku understood perfectly what Uraraka meant.

Izuku smiled back as fiercely. "I understand," Izuku nodded. "Good luck, Ochaco."

Tenya nodded as well, smiling impressed at the strength his classmate showed. "As do I. Do your best out there, Uraraka."

Uraraka nodded, walking around the two with a head tilt and continuing down the path, knowing Izuku's and Iida's eyes were still trained on her. Halting in her tracks, she called out, "Deku!" Ochaco Uraraka turned around to meet his emerald eyes. She brushed her thumb over her nose and gave a big thumbs up. "I'll see you in our next match!"

Izuku smirked and nodded back. "Definitely," Izuku replied.

---

Meanwhile...

Shoto Todoroki walked out of his waiting room, leaving behind his Pokémon with an angry sneer.

Ever since this blasted tournament began, all of Shoto's expectations and goals have been falling off the wayside. Throughout the tournament, he expected to have excelled in every event, to come out on 1st at least. He expected to have surpassed Midoriya's brute strength and speed with the training and power he mastered with his left side, and anyone else who got in his way would be a cakewalk by comparison. He expected the full support and obedience of his Pokémon.

But one event after the other, every interaction and clash since the first event started, everything started going wrong. Midoriya surpassed him and took first place in the 1st event, even using a Fire Type Pokémon as his partner for the event. Midoriya out-tricked and outmaneuvered everything Todoroki's team threw at him in the 2nd event, and Shoto even used his own friends against him. Midoriya didn't even have a full team of Hero Course students, and he still came out on top.

Then there was their talk. Todoroki had enough self-awareness to know he wasn't the best with social interactions, a life of isolation and training would do that. The only company he had was his Pokémon, but they were easier to understand, talk with, and bond with than other human beings. The ones he did interact with were either his siblings, suck-ups who saw who his father was and wanted to be friends for such shallow reasons, and of course his Father. The only positive human influences were his siblings. Fuyumi's unrelenting and whole-hearted kindness and Natsuo's support and brotherly affection. He couldn't even remember anything about his mother other than the incident and Touya...the less said about that the better.

But even then, he felt that Midoriya could have been different. In the short time he knew his classmate, he saw his kindness, his selflessness, how he would sacrifice his health for victory, or even victory itself for the sake of those he cares for. The verdant-haired teen had gathered the largest group of friends and comrades from their class, and it was only likely to get bigger over time. The boy had become quick friends with people who were strangers to him not a few days ago, seemingly understanding and caring for them as if he had known them his whole life. If anyone could understand his situation, his plight, he thought it would be him.

That was his mistake. Instead of understanding his goal to dismiss his father, Midoriya belittled it as a child having a tantrum, that what he faced was something that he should get over, as if someone could get over what he experienced. Instead of supporting him in his trauma, he mocked and insulted him and his mother, calling him and his dream unworthy of her, as if he had any right to claim a son was unworthy of their mother's love. And instead of understanding and forgiving him for his actions, he raged and lashed out at him instead, calling him no better than his Father. How dare he!

Then came his battle with Mariella, and she could see why she and Midoriya were tied at the hip. He threw everything he had, every trick and technique he could throw at her, and she quite literally tossed it back in his face. She was even going to win. All his efforts, all the hard choices, all his sacrifices were going to be in vain. And then she stopped, and she did something worse: she quit.

It was like he was back in his Pokémon battle with Midoriya all over again. All of Shoto's Pokémon were knocked out, fainted, and Midoriya had one left that could still fight, but he gave up, he retired his Pikachu from the match and ended their match in a draw. But it wasn't. He knew it, Midoriya it, everyone knew it. He couldn't understand why he was on the brink of victory and threw it all away. And now, it happened again. Serena Mariella was the true victor of their match, but he was advancing because she took pity on him. She spat at his goal and called him not worth the effort. She had disgraced him to the entire viewing world. All because he wouldn't use that Bastard's Quirk.

And now, even his Pokémon were going against him. He had picked up on those looks of concern that Ninetails was giving him the entire time, and while he couldn't understand what she was saying specifically, he could understand enough. She wanted him to give up his goal, she wanted him to let go of his rage, his vengeance, she wanted him to stop his treatment of Vulpix and care for him as he had her and the others. And then the others joined in, Darmanitan, Drizzile, they all stood against his path, stood up for that handout. But he couldn't, they knew why, and yet they still asked the impossible.

Shoto's vision blurred, and his head throbbed. In that instant, he saw a woman's smile, the chirps of two Vulpix, and a voice the cry of a Pokémon he couldn't recall. The cry echoed in his mind and the vision blurred, and then it was gone.

Shoto shook his head, clearing his mind and sight from the discomfort. Another thing that has been going wrong ever since the Festival began. It was like his head was unraveling like he was going insane. Perhaps it was another consequence of that bastard trying to play God and creating him...Yeah, it must be. It was always His Fault.

Shoto turned the corner and froze. He narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?" Shoto growled.

Leaning on the wall leading out toward the field was none other than his old man: Endeavor. The Flame Hero was in costume, the flames sprouting out of his suit and skin raising the temperature that made his left side tick in hateful recognition. Even under that mask of flames, Shoto could see his father's turquoise glaring at him. The same as his left eye, the side that his mother found so hideous.

"You're acting disgracefully, Shoto," Endeavor answered.

That was it. That was all he said before the alleyway was filled with silence. Though he tried not to show it, Shoto's chest burned with anger. 'You mean I'm disgracing You,' Shoto thought. 'Because that's all you ever cared about.'

Shoto didn't bother to word his thoughts, convincing himself the so-called Hero wasn't worth it. Shoto began continuing his march down the path toward the field, attempting to pay his father no mind.

Endeavor apparently had more to say. "If you had only used the power of your left side, you would have easily triumphed in the previous events, especially in your match against Mariella. You could have increased the heat to the point any water she could have had would have been vaporized," Endeavor continued. "It is high time that you stop this childish rebellion. You have a duty to surpass both me and All Might."

'All Might,' Todoroki thought about the Number 1 Hero, the very reason he was even alive, the one person his father could never surpass and so made him to try and do it for him. And where All Might now came in so too did Midoriya, his secret love child, All Might's heir he was now destined to fight too. 'But I will do it for myself, not for you.'

"Do you understand what I'm saying? You are stronger than your siblings. You can achieve what we could not, but only if you use your full potential," Endeavor continued still, the Hero's eyes narrowing at him despite passing him by.

Shoto's anger only burned brighter. If there were anybody he cared for, it was his siblings. Fuyumi cared for him and looked after him like their mother should have, Natsuo supported him and joined him in their disdain for their father. Shoto wished he could have met Touya, gotten to know and bond with his eldest brother, but he was now just a casualty of their father's sick, twisted goals. 'I am doing this for them, to show that we aren't tools for your ambition,' Shoto's mind growled, as his teeth mashed together.

Endeavor's gaze softened. "Do you think this is what your mother wanted for you?" Endeavor questioned.

That Shoto could not keep down. "Don't. Even. Mention Her!" Shoto growled out, stopping in his tracks, yet he still looked ahead and not back toward the bane of his existence. "You don't have the right to mention her after all you did to her. I will win this match, and this whole fucking tournament, using only my left side. My mother's power. That's all I will ever need. And neither you nor Midoriya will stand in my way."

Endeavor's eye perked for a split second.

Shoto continued his lone march toward the field. "You already discovered the limits of your power before," Endeavor called out. "I hope you see the truth of it before the Festival ends."

His taunt rang like a drum in Shoto Todoroki's ear, the light of the outside shadowing most of his left side yet did nothing to hide the growl of his gritted teeth or the fire in both his eyes.

---

"LET'S GET WILD, SPORTS FANS! THE SECOND MATCH OF 2ND ROUND IS ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY!" Present Mic flashed two peace signs, despite his only witness being a sighing Eraserhead. "AND THESE TWO FIGHTER'S 2ND MATCHUPS ARE ABOUT TO GET SPICY! OR RATHER CHILLING!"

Despite his annoying wordplay, Eraser narrowed his eyes out to the field, or more specifically the one person who would fit Mic's last description.

"First off, we got the glacial powerhouse that nearly left us chilled to the bone in that last match, but I can see that he is rather fired up for this next match!" Mic presented off the first fighter. "From the 1-A Hero Course, it's Shoto Todoroki!"

As the crowd cheered, Shoto's eyes were hidden by the shadows of his hair and igniting flames from the braziers beside him, the latter of which only seemed to deepen his frown.

Endeavor had made it back to the stands in time for Mic to introduce his son and he was not deaf to the choice of words the Voice Hero used. 'If only,' The Flame Hero thought to himself, finding that his earlier talk with the boy only seemed to make things worse.

By the teacher's stands, All Might frowned as he stared down at the fighters, the Symbol of Peace catching the upset look on Todoroki's face. His thoughts turned back to his earlier talk with Endeavor and wondered if the Flame Hero had a talk with his son recently, and if he did, what did he say to make the already cold student look downright frosty?

With Nezu and Taishi, the latter narrowed his eyes, a suspicious gleam as his senses tingled.

"And in the other corner, she's fast, she's strong, and she'll leave you blasting off to space if she gets her adorable hands on you," Mic continued. "Also from the 1-A Hero Course, it's Ochaco Uraraka! You Go, Girl! Show him how girls get it done!"

"Stop playing favorites," Eraser growled at his co-host.

Over in Recovery Girl's room, Izuku and the others watched the fight go down from the television. Mina still hadn't woken up and was being overlooked by hers and Izuku's Pokémon. The only one who wasn't was Pikachu, who sat on Momo's lap while the heiress sat down in a chair, hugging the Electric Mouse Pokémon tightly as she watched another of her friends go up against her 'fiancé'. Iida sat on another bed, letting the gel that Recovery Girl covered on his back cool off and work its magic, while Asui, Kaminari, and Hagakure also sat wherever they could.

Izuku was getting his fingers bandaged, after a harsh admonishment from Recovery Girl, and watching the screen while Serena sat beside him, a guilty look worming its way to her face.

As for the girl herself, Uraraka had crouched slightly, her knees bending and her heels digging into the ground, preparing for the match. Ochaco couldn't even hear Mic's normally embarrassing praise, the world was muted to her. All that was in her focus was Midnight and her hand, rising to begin the startup of the match, and Todoroki, standing on the opposite end, menacingly. He didn't move or make any acknowledgment of her presence; he looked off in his own world, too. It made her uneasy, but Ochaco couldn't afford to ponder or worry over it.

She knew she was going to lose. She could feel it. Every second was just ticking away before her downfall, and despite Izuku's and Iida's praise, she knew that they wouldn't change the outcome.

It didn't mean she wasn't going down swinging.

'Even if the odds are stacked against me, I won't give up,' Ochaco's feet dug in further as Midnight's hand began to slowly fall. 'That's what you taught me, Deku.'

As Midnight's hand fully descended in time with Mic's vocal commencement, Uraraka shot forward like a rocket. Whether it was the push of an invisible aid, an unknown power or Quirk within her, the will of the universe, or simply adrenaline, Uraraka would never know. But as she ran across the field, faster than she had ever gone before, she began reaching Todoroki.

'You taught me that being a Hero means Never Giving Up!' Ochaco raised her hand, reaching out to Todoroki.

The boy lifted his gaze and she saw fury incarnate in those eyes.

SSSSHHHHKKKK!

In an instant, the whole field was covered in ice, the audience was metaphorically frozen, darkened under the shadow of a massive glacier looming over their heads. The invisible shielding protecting them was plain to all eyes as it crackled under the force of the massive ice attack. Outside, Death Arms, Mount Lady, and Kamui Woods all paled in horror at the sight of the glacier's icy spires peeking out over the stadium. The shadow of the glacier made the flames around Endeavor's body a more obvious sight, the flames brightening through the shadows.

Mic's glasses fell off his stunned face and even Aizawa was taken aback. They already saw Todoroki do this in his battle with Serena, but this glacier was even larger and occurred more instantly than before.

The Dekusquad all watched from the safety of Recovery Girl's room and even then, they could feel the rumble and the chill of the attack. Asui had to be hugged still by Hagakure and Serena. They all gawked at the incredible show of power from Todoroki, adding a chill of fear to Yaoyorozu in addition to the chill. Izuku, Iida, and Serena felt it too, but their fear was directed toward the fate of the one subjected to that glacier.

On the field, the fog of icy mist blew away revealing Todoroki and Uraraka. The former's left side was nearly covered head to toe in frost, every breath that came out of him chilly and visible. An ice-covered hand hovered feet from his chest.

Uraraka looked halfway buried in the glacier, or rather it looked like the glacier sprouted from her. Whatever parts of her body weren't buried in the ice were covered in a sheen of frost. Even her face had a flake of frost on her perpetual pink cheeks. Speaking of which, Uraraka's face was the only thing moving, her lips quivering, teeth chattering together, eyes squinting as she tried in vain to remove herself from the glacier Todoroki put her in.

Present Mic finally found his voice and said "U-UNBELIEVEABLE!" Mic's voice worked to snap everybody from their shock states as reality set into their heads. "IN AN INSTANT, TODOROKI UNLEASHED ANOTHER GLACIER! AND AN EVEN BIGGER ONE AT THAT!"

"Oh no," Momo gasped, hands over mouth as the screen showed Uraraka's state.

Serena flinched harshly, guilt all over her face as she was forced to look away.

"Uraraka...be honest...can you move?" Midnight shivered, half of her own body likewise covered in ice as a side-effect of the attack.

Uraraka made a noise, struggling harder to remove herself from the ice. She tried and tried, but it was taking everything she had just to stay conscious against the sheer cold. Ultimately, Uraraka, eyes shut, hung her head low in defeat.

Midnight registered that as enough. "Uraraka is unable to compete! The Winner is Shoto Todoroki!"

"And There we have it folks! Todoroki has redeemed himself from the last round and instantly K.O.'ed his opponent!" Mic announced to the roar of the crowd. "Aw! Poor girl. I was rooting for her."

"Does the word no even register in that mind of yours?" Aizawa replied to Mic. But as he looked over at the field, he closed his eyes, doing his best to nod. But not at Todoroki, but Uraraka. Now that he knew of Todoroki's constant handicapping, he had little respect for it as Mariella or Midoriya. No, his praise had to go to Uraraka. No matter the outcome of the fight, what he witnessed of her, he found excellent.

"That speed. She zoomed out to grab him like a Zubat out of Hell," Miruko smirked, unknowingly in agreement with Aizawa. "Too bad she lost. All that for nothing."

"No, it wasn't," Ryukyu argued against her playfully harsh friend, gazing at Uraraka with respect. "Though she lost, I'm sure this will fuel and inspire her forward. For that, nothing about this seems for naught."

The ice around Todoroki's body steamed and melted away, Todoroki's using his heat now that the battle was over. His eyes blinked as the foggy visions-memories, probably?-had vanished, and for the life of him, Todoroki couldn't find them again. Regardless, it was done. Despite the troubles of his mind, despite his goading, he did it. He won. He managed to defeat one of Midoriya's friends without using his fire. He won in an instant. And yet...

Why did he still feel so empty?

Todoroki looked up to see Uraraka's defeated face, and he didn't find satisfaction or victory. Only bitterness and sorrow. The cold teen walked up numbly toward Uraraka, placing a hand over her shoulder, and continued using his left side to heat her and melt the glacier away, slowly.

"I'm sorry," Todoroki croaked out, not even having the strength to look Uraraka in the eye. "I...I'm sorry."

Uraraka made no noise, but if Todoroki had looked at her, he would have found her eyes opened wide and understanding.

Endeavor's narrowed eyes looked down at the field silently. He finally closed his eyes, sighing, before walking away.

Nezu shifted his blank stare toward Taishi, the remnant glow of Aura fading in the latter's eyes. The Aura user's gaze narrowed, his frown deepening.

Back in Recovery Girl's room, everyone gave their vocal or internal pity for Uraraka's defeat, including Izuku. The verdant-haired teen felt a pit of righteous fury well up for what Todoroki did to Uraraka, how another one of his friends was hurt because of him.

And then he looked at Todoroki, and the anger vanished. What he saw was not even worthy of anger, but pity.

When he looked at the crouched posture of Shoto Todoroki, Izuku Midoriya could not help but see how sad he looked.

---

AAAAAAANNNNNNNDDDDD SCENE! Well, that took longer than expected but done, and here everybody, your early Christmas gift. Don't expect me for more this year, I'm only human.

Anyway, hope you guys liked this chapter of My Hero Pokedamia and oh boy did some heavy stuff happen in this chapter. For one, the fall of Ingenium at the hands of the Hero Killer and his Pokémon, which are yes, a Gallade and a Bisharp as this was my established plan for the Hero Killer to have before Scarlet and Violet revealed the existence of Kinggambit. Also, the shiny Lucario that Ingenium has is a reference to the Shiny Lucario event before the release of the Indigo Disk DLC, which by the way I played and is awesome. (Got a Shiny Dodrio the first time I entered the Terrarium.)

And Ingenium's downfall occurred around the same time as Iida's defeat at the hands of Izuku. Now, this was a harder matchup to make. Like how can I have Izuku beat Iida who was faster than him? Well, I set this up ever since Izuku's battle with Froakie, using that encounter as the inspiration that Izuku would later use to slow Iida down, and while it would have been salient if it had been an Aura Force: Burst, Izuku is too slow and risky to perform that and would have been beaten by Iida if he had tried. Also, Izuku's Wisconsin Smash has been introduced and yes, he did lower the percentage of the attack, so he didn't accidentally cripple Tenya. Only one Iida needed to be crippled that day.

We also had the fallout of Bakugou's fight with Mina, such as the shame and horror in his parents for witnessing what their son could do, yet the conflict and love they still have for him since he is still their son. But will they be able to reach him and change his path? We also had the conflict that arose in Inko over her conflicted feelings over Bakugou, the title of nephew practically revoked from him and unable to forgive Bakugou for his actions toward her son, for now, and she was as honest as she could with Mitsuki and Masarou, not blaming them entirely for how Bakugou turned out since she is no better with how Izuku turned out with his insecurities. And I had Recovery Girl deal a harsh hammer of reality onto the angry Dekusquad that curbed their desire for vengeance, yet Izuku managed to tell Bakugou off. And yes, just like how Bakugou thought Uraraka's strategy in canon was Izuku's idea at first, he thought Mina's battling and knowledge of their past was Izuku's fault. Pride and hatred can blind someone from even the plainest of truths.

We also had the fight between Uraraka and Todoroki, as well as the subsequent talks beforehand for both of them. Something is off with Todoroki and even his own Pokémon are turning on him, and what does Taishi see? And yeah, despite the pep talks and the encouragement Ochaco got, sometimes it's not enough to stop the inevitable, but it does help still in how close Uraraka was in getting to Todoroki. And now the stage is set. Izuku is now set to fight Todoroki. Will Izuku still save Todoroki from himself, or will Izuku have too much rage in his heart to offer Todoroki that helping hand he needs?

Finally, we have updates on some character's skillset for Izuku Midoriya:

-Moves: Wisconsin Smash

And for an official new one, we have this time one for Tenya Iida:

Tenya Iida:

-Height: 5'10 & 1/2"

-Age: 15

-Birthday: August 22

-Quirk: Engine

-Moves: Recipro Burst

Pokémon:

1. Lucario

-Gender: Male

-Type: Fighting/Steel

-Moves: Aura Sphere, Bone Rush, Bullet Punch, Power-Up Punch, Shadow Ball, Metal Claw, Force Palm, Brick Break

-Ability: Justified

2. Skarmory:

-Gender: Male

-Type: Steel/Flying

-Moves: Steel Wing, Fly, Aerial Ace, Agility, Iron Head

-Ability: Keen Eye

-Techniques: Steel Wing Counter Shield

3. Doduo:

-Gender: Female

-Type: Normal/Flying

-Moves: Fury Attack, Double Hit, Quick Attack, Pluck, Peck

-Ability: Early Bird

4. Varoom:

-Gender: Male

-Type: Steel/Poison

-Moves: Headbutt, Iron Head, Sludge, Assurance, Poison Gas

-Ability: Overcoat

And with that, I hope you guys liked the chapter, check my other stories if you haven't already, comment on your thoughts and Pokémon predictions in the comments or reviews, and stay chill and sane.

This has been Zayden StormVoid signing off with a final MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR!