Chapter 22: Final showdown

Katsuki cracked his neck, the sound of bones popping doubling as an intimidation. Opposite to him, Fumikage remained impassive, unbothered, at least on the surface. The bomber knew he had the advantage, his power countered Dark Shadow with its higher reach and better mobility, if his adversary pulled the fusion trick again Katsuki's experience in close quarters would assure his victory.

All in all, the odds were in his favor and Katsuki wouldn't give Fumikage the chance to turn the tables.

The whip cracked and both boys dashed at each other. Katsuki waited for Fumikage's first move, when the haven headed boy started to ooze shadow the bomber threw a sparkling palm. The Light inside Katsuki's heart flickered and an explosion ripped the Darkness from Fumikage's body.

That surprised both boys, neither really understanding exactly what happened. Katsuki didn't let that stop him, with a flying knee to his opponent's chest the blonde pressed his advantage.

After a little grappling Katsuki pinned down Fumikage, holding one of his arms behind his back and letting a smoldering hand hovering next to the raven head enough for the black feathers to smoke.

"I win."

Fumikage sighed, "Yes, now could you please cease this threat before you set my head on fire?"

Katsuki shrugged, "Sure."

Midnight declared Katsuki the winner while both boys got up. Fumikage couldn't help but ask, "What was that? I had never seen Dark Shadow be completely vanquished the way you did."

That was something Katsuki asked himself, with a little more swear words, "No idea, maybe I'm just more awesome than I thought." He gave a non answer half-heartedly. The bomber could feel something was different, but for the life of him Katsuki couldn't tell what.

The thing he could only describe as Light inside himself was sure responsible, but what was it?

—

Eri tilted her head, a smile on her face. Shoto saw it, "What?"

"Kacchan found his own Light, but he doesn't know what it is." She giggled. Shoto didn't understand what she was talking about but nodded either way.

At their side, Ochaco put a hand over her chest, a feeling of something stirring in her heart.

—

Izuku sat inside his waiting room, sporting a splitting smile and a concerning shine in his eyes. Nana tried to be the voice of reason, as always, "Izuku, you know you don't need to do that, right?"

"I do." I formed a fist, "Kacchan is gonna throw his everything at me and then some, if he's going Plus Ultra I can't do anything less."

"You say that now, but you will regret this in the morning."

Izuku laughed, "If I didn't complain waking up sore with All Might's training I won't complain now." He got up, feeling the thrill of a good friendly fight calling, "And I won't break anything, I hope, so no need to worry."

"That only makes me worry more." The Vestige sighed, "Fine, boys will be boys, but please don't hurt yourself too much."

"I'll do my best!"

"Why doesn't that soothe my concerns? Oh yeah, because you're history of doing stupid things!"

Izuku huffed, "They're not 'stupid things', they're highly unconventional and unorthodox plans of action!"

—

Inko felt a shiver, "Izuku's going to do something stupid."

Toshinori gave her a strange look, "What?"

"Motherly instincts, I'm sure Izuku is about to go through one of his 'highly unconventional and unorthodox plans of action' again." Inko sighed, "Why doesn't my baby learn? Using fancy words doesn't make it less stupid."

Toshinori wisely nodded along even if he didn't understand, in his opinion his successor's ideas weren't that bad.

Inko shot him a glare, why did she suddenly have the urge to berate him for being irresponsible?

—

The world watched as two boys climbed the stairs of the arena, the bomber with a killer grin and the Keyblade Master with a brilliant smile, both equally craving the action about to unfold.

To both warriors, there was only their adversary. The stadium, the people, the cheers, none of it registering. They dreamed of that moment, long ago when they were only children with dreams filling their minds, to stand face to face at the top and prove once and for all who was greater. Time and life buried that dream, but it didn't fade, it waited for the moment to resurface and set their hearts ablaze.

A dream only died when it was forgotten. Izuku and Katsuki forgot much they didn't want to and now strived to get back, but this, this battle was something they would never forget.

And they would make sure the world didn't either.

Katsuki's palms started to heat up, sparks popping like fireworks over them. Izuku summoned his weapon, Sky and Storm manifesting in all its glory from a whirlwind of multicolored Light.

The whip cracking was the only sound that reached them. For a single second, like the calm before disaster struck, there was silence, then in a deafening moment, they moved.

Concrete was torn apart by the explosion Katsuki used to launch himself like a rocket, at Izuku's side a single step obliterated the ground with the force exerted to push the boy forward. Katsuki winded up an explosive hook with his right arm while Izuku armed a swing from his blade. Both attacks collided with ground breaking power, sending the boys skidding back.

What followed was the escalating of their opening act, detonations and strikes that could bring down buildings were traded at blinding speed. They didn't have to hold back anymore, there was no future battle they had to pace themselves for, there was only now, their friend and victory.

Katsuki threw an explosion at Izuku's feet, the greenette somersaulting over it and bringing his Keyblade down, cracking the floor and sending boulders flying.

The blonde sent one back with his quirk, like the shot from a cannon, only to have it smashed by a kick. Izuku charged a spell, the crystalline tip of Sky and Storm glowing dark purple, "Zero Gravira!" He raised his weapon and a wave of antigravitational magic washed over the arena, making loose debris float. Slamming his weapon down, Izuku created a shockwave that sent them flying like comets.

Katsuki couldn't help but comment while dodging, "I don't know if you're a bad influence on Ochaco or if she's a bad influence on you!" He laughed while exploding a piece of concrete about to nail him on the head.

"We're equally amazing influences on each other!" Izuku rebuked. Throwing his Keyblade like a chainsaw with the added effect of Thunder electrifying it. Katsuki just tilted aside and let it sail past him, the electrical charge making the hairs in the back of his neck stand up. This time he learned his lesson, the blonde tilted his body to the other side to avoid the Keyblade coming back.

"Not falling for this trick twice!" Katsuki ran along the returning weapon. Charging an attack he let it explode on Izuku's hastily raised defense.

The key bearer was sent back carving trenches in the floor with his feet. Beside him, Katsuki was already there, trying to blindside Izuku with an explosive palm to the ear. His eyes widened but Izuku still had the mind to dodge, his form blurred just as the attack was about to connect.

Katsuki glanced over his shoulder, at where Izuku just winked back into existence, "Still think that's bullshit." He growled.

Izuku smiled, "You're not going to like this then." Izuku used his Focus to mark Katsuki, power brewing inside Sky and Storm, "Skyborne Disaster!" Lifting the Keyblade, it burst forward.

Katsuki gapped, honest open mouthed gapped, at the sight of a spherical vortex of energy forming above the arena and spilling azure flaming meteors at him. It wasn't one, it wasn't two, but at the very least thirty comets were rushing at him, and the best part, they corrected their course to make sure to hit Katsuki.

"What the actual fuck?!" Was the only thing he could say before having to throw himself out of the way. That was of little help as the meteors were hellbent on crashing on the bomber, "Well, fuck it! I already beat one meteor shower today!" Katsuki roared, the strange Light inside his heart burning. With a well timed explosion that could have been heard from a mile away, Katsuki obliterated the first projectile.

That repeated itself over and over, the blonde's arms bucking and his bones creaking from the strain. One by one he destroyed Izuku's little cosmic intervention until nothing remained.

In the middle of a scorched ring of sky-blue fire, Katsuki looked back at Izuku, "That's the best you got?"

The young Master, for his part, only opened a smile that struck fear in all who knew him, "Not even close." He spun his Keyblade before raising it, "Fa Jin…" A maelstrom of Light and power formed around him, "Storm Ruler!" And his hair turned white.

—

The cloaked man paced. Shigaraki had asked a question, a good one, and now he needed to answer it, "You're seeing it wrong. Green Bean wasn't 'holding himself back all this time', he was conserving his strength."

"What do you mean?" The villain asked, his focus between the man and the television showing Izuku nullifying gravity and weaponizing the result.

"You know the term 'home stretch'? I always liked to think it was the final part of something before you could go home." The cloaked figure started, "As you will be able to rest later, you can go all out and finish whatever you're doing faster." He completed his reasoning before pointing to the TV.

"Look at Green Bean, he was running around all day, if he hadn't paced himself then the kid would've tired halfway. But as he only used the right amount of strength, most of the time at least, so now he still has plenty of juice." As if to prove his point, Izuku summoned his own cataclysm as shown on the screen, "See? It's not just because you can do something that you should, keeping some aces up your sleeve is always good, if you can save your energy too then even better."

Shigaraki slowly nodded, understanding the line of thought, "So, if I saved my Nomu for after All Might showed up, not only he probably would've made more damage but also lasted longer."

The man snapped his fingers, "Exactly! And conserving power also means you have more to throw around in a pinch. Like that." He gestured to the TV, which showed Izuku being surrounded by colorful energy before his hair turned white. The man laughed, "Oh, things are about to get good."

—

"C'mon brat! Don't let half a dozen meteors stop you!" Mitsuki shouted at the screen, as if her son could hear her.

"Darling please." Her husband, Masaru, a kind man with brown hair eyes, sporting glasses and a shallow mustache, pleaded.

"Don't you start, the brat already beat one meteor shower today!" Just when she finished speaking Katsuki started to blow the blue burning projectiles, "Ha! See?! Knew he could do it, that's my brat!" Mitsuru cheered, earning a smile from Masaru.

"Whose side are you on anyway? You keep cheering for them both."

"And you're not?"

Masaru could only shily shrug at her retort, "Point taken."

Mitsuki laughed, "Oh C'mon, it's just our kids messing around as always, just this time they're on TV too. Running all over the house or blowing shit up in a stadium, it's always the same thing."

Her husband chuckled, "On that you're right, so that means little Izuku is about to…" He trailed off as the boy in question raised his weapon and a brilliant stream spun around him, before his hair turned white.

—

At the top of a skyscraper, a lone figure looked at the horizon, a smile on their face.

"Almost there, don't let them stop you. You can do it."

—

Katsuki stared at Izuku, now sporting a bright white aura and hair. The weapon in his hand changed, the center blue blade having more than doubled in length while the criss-crossing red and green grid of crystal over it shrunk and turned into its guard, a chromatic cloth that seemed like all possible colors of the spectrum wrapped on the handle and flowed past it, fluttering in the wind.

"Kacchan." Izuku's voice seemed charged with energy, static filling Katsuki's ears at its sound, "Do me a favor?"

Katsuki, against himself and his shivering body that screamed he was completely fucked, grinned, "Yeah?"

"This is gonna hurt a lot tomorrow so… make it worth it." With that, Izuku took a step forward…

And the world trembled beneath his feet.

Katsuki started dodging before the words reached him, functioning on instinct alone, and that was the only reason he wasn't slashed to ribbons when a blade that felt like a force of nature splitted the air apart on the space he occupied a nanosecond ago.

After the first attack, others followed, in an never ending revolution in which every spin just built up more speed and power. Katsuki used every single trick he had to maintain that single nanometer between himself and the weapon in Izuku's hand, "How much are you using?"

The now ivory haired boy's smile could brighten the day of every person on the planet, "Thirty percent."

Katsuki's eyes widened, "Are you fucking insane?!" His answer was Izuku's smile widening. Then, he picked up the pace. Storm Ruler looked like a continuous crystalline line as it moved at speeds that turned it into just a blur to those who watched.

Katsuki knew he was screwed not when the slashes started to connect, but when they didn't. The only reason he could imagine Izuku was doing that was to build more power. To prove his point, the swordsman smashed his blade on the ground.

A wave of pure power ravaged through the arena's floor, tearing the concrete up by massive chunks before carrying it with the stream all the way to the arena's tip, where momentum flung it away. Katsuki saw all that from his privileged place on the air, as he had exploded himself up to safety.

The blonde got fed up with being on the defensive and shot down at his rival, an explosion with kilotons of force brewing on his palm.

Izuku saw that and raised his hand up, a dome made of an aurora coming to life and spiraling at mach speeds around him, safely dispersing the force and fire that hit it. He raised Storm Ruler and made the shield expand and burst, pushing away the smoke and Katsuki, who crashed on the ground having the air forced out of his lungs from the impact.

The bomber willed himself up even while his muscles screamed, the Master took a stance while his body did much the same.

"Are we done warming up?" Izuku tilted his head, his question genuine.

Katsuku felt the Light boiling inside him, not knowing what it was but feeling what it wanted, "Yeah, play time's over." They threw themselves at each other.

This time their clash didn't stop, they didn't back down, they pushed forward. Explosions and slashes were traded, shrugged off and responded with double the power, over and over and over again. Katsuku felt Storm Ruler cutting into him, not his body but something deeper, while not a drop of blood was spilled each strike hit something that tried to force him to his knees. Izuku felt the Light behind every explosion burning its way into his heart and trying to force him to conceal defeat, even then he was happy that his best friend's Light was there and it was strong and bright.

After a last collision that was felt by the whole stadium, the boys were forced apart by the resulting shockwave with feet skidding and carving through the ground.

Both panted for air, hearts drumming inside their chests. Izuku had most of his clothes burned, his skin marred by soot, while Katsuki's were hanging by some last straps that weren't sliced.

"I'm still-" Katsuki gasped, "Not impressed."

Izuku gave a breathless chuckle that quickly grew in intensity, "I would be disappointed if you were." He grasped Storm Ruler with both hands, the power built up inside him at the bursting point, "Kacchan, can you tell me one thing?"

The bomber felt that chill again, the eye of the storm closing around him, he opened a teeth filled smirk and dared it, "Yeah?"

"Are you satisfied with this fight?"

Katsuki knew both of them would regret that later. Who was he kidding? Both Izuku and him were loving every second of that, "Not really, you?"

"Nah, that's why…" Izuku gave a closed eyed smile that seemed too innocent with the pure aura around him, "I'm going Plus Ultra." Raising his blade up before thrusting it into the ground he shouted, "Fa Jin: Sky Herald."

The instincts that Katsuki trusted all his life, seeing the gargantuan tornado of energy that formed around his friend, chose that between fight or flight he should freeze, so the bomber promptly told them to fuck off. Izuku could be a walking natural disaster, but so was Katsuki, that fight would only end when one of them had beat the dust.

Izuku dispersed the wall of energy around him with a wave from the weapon on his hand, not a sword or a spear but a flag. The crystalline blue pole was almost three times Izuku's size and had yellow ribbons tied around it in dazzling patterns, the top had a crown identical to the teeth of Sky and Storm and the banner was a festival of colors dancing in the wind.

Katsuki gave out a slightly deranged chuckled, "Are you trying to kill yourself Deku?"

The flag carrier laughed merrily, "Of course not! I'm just living life to the fullest!" He twisted his body and swung the arm in his hands. Multicolored blades of light flew at Katsuki, who dodged and let them harmlessly carve chunks of the already destroyed arena.

Like in his battle with Tenya, Izuku started a deadly dance with the forces of nature as his partners. Flipping, twisting, spinning and leaping, every movement sent forth waves of power. Katsuki matched him, forgoing completely any self preservation and most of his common sense and sanity, he fought power with power.

In a spectacle of a duel, the boys clashed. Fire and Light, force and sharpness and a fierce desire for victory was all the crowd could see on the ruined battleground.

Katsuki flipped over the flag, throwing an explosive punch that was met with a thunderous kick. Izuku thrusted the butt of the pole to Katsuki's chest, only for him to slide below it. The blond pushed himself up with both legs springing at the white haired boy's jaw. The Master redirected his weapon down and somersaulted over the attack.

From the air, Izuku launched Sky Herald at the ground, the flag piercing the floor before raising a whirlwind. Katsuki was sent airborne, correcting his trajectory he launched himself at his rival.

Izuku had only time to summon back his weapon before Katsuki crashed into him. Both grabbed the pole and fought for it, stumbling through the air. The young Master kicked his friend away so strongly they were sent flying away from each other.

Katsuki rolled over the rubble, coughing his lungs out. Stopping just at what could loosely be called the edge of the arena, he got up slowly. Everything hurted, both inside and out, physically and spiritually as even the Light inside him seemed to flicker like a candle on a blizzard. Spitting an unhealthy amount of blood, he laughed.

"Fucking finally, a good fight!"

Izuku, who felt like a spring stretched to its absolute limit, already cracking from the strain, both metaphorically and literally as his bones audibly creaked, smiled, "You say that like you didn't like the others."

The blonde huffed, "They weren't bad, but a fight is only good when we scorch the fucking earth."

Looking from side to side, at the ruins that was once an arena, he nodded sheepishly, "Okay, I see your point but I think we're gonna get an earful for this."

"Oh fuck that! We haven't even finished yet." Katsuki crouched, his intention clear.

Izuku tilted his head, "Time for the grand finale?"

"If you mean go out with a nuclear bang, then of course!" Katsuki roared while exploding himself sky high, gaining more and more altitude. When his target was nothing more than a white dot on the ground, he launched himself down, spinning and creating a tunnel of flames and smoke.

Izuku shrugged, "Not like we can mess up the stage any more than that." He shot a glance to Midnight and Cementos, who had retreated to the stadium walls, "Sorry about that by the way."

Raising the flag up before planting it into the ground, Izuku guided the star of condensed power that formed inside his quirk to Sky Herald and let it go supernova. A dome of energy formed, the colors spinning faster and faster until turning into a solid white sphere. It pulsed, then expanded, slowly consuming everything that entered its domain.

Katsuki snorted inside his own piece of the apocalypse they decided to unleash, "Deja vu?" Pushing himself further, to the point he was sure at least one of his arms had broken or where about to be, he gave one last blaze of glory.

"Howitzer Impact!" Thrusting his hand forward, Katsuki let the tunnel of flames he created guide the most powerful explosion he ever produced at the approaching white wall.

The two attacks collided like a meteor crashing on a planet. The explosion spearheaded the dome with world-ending force, for a second it seemed like it would destroy the perfect sphere, but the Master's power prevailed at the last second.

As Katsuki watched Izuku's attack overcome his one and approach in a second that paradoxically felt like an eternity, he couldn't help but smile. Not a manic, not a battle crazed one, but an honest and content smile. That battle was fun.

The dome swallowed him. Inside the limbo of infinite white, Katsuki could swear he saw someone. When he blinked his eyes open, the blonde was on the grassy ground, feeling surprisingly fine. His everything hurt, but it didn't feel like he just got hit by an attack that obliterated the center of the stadium.

And what a sight that was, a perfect half sphere was missing from existence, the walls of the hole so smooth it reflected light back up. In the center, a lone pillar was everything left, on it Izuku stood.

The aura around him slowly faded, Izuku's hair turning back to its normal green while the arm in his hand faded. Without its support, he tilted back before falling on his back.

"Ow." Izuku groaned half-heartedly. Suddenly he started to chuckle, which turned into full blown laughing.

That snapped people back to their senses. Midnight cracked her whip and announced, "The winner of the match and of the first year's Sports Festival is… Midoriya Izuku!"

Cementos quickly filled the crater with cement, going to pick up the winner, seeing he looked like all strength had left his body, only for Katsuki to beat him to the punch.

Izuku watched as Katsuki stumbled his way to him, looked down at his sprawled form and huffed. Offering his hand, the blonde nodded, "Good fight."

"It was." Izuku smiled, "And I really would like to accept the hand but I really can't move right now."

Shaking his head Katsuki snorted, "Figures." He grabbed Izuku by the tattered uniform that for some miracle hadn't disintegrated yet and pulled him up, "Let's go get this checked out."

"This what?" Izuku asked, not minding being manhandled and feeling completely numb, probably the reason he wasn't in excruciating pain.

"Everything. I'm pretty sure we broke a lot of stuff and the only reason we're not feeling it is because we're not feeling shit." Apparently Katsuki was on the same boat.

To the astonished cheers of the recovering crowd, the loser of the battle carried the laughing champion away.

Far and wide, people were shocked speechless to what they had just witnessed. If that was what the future had in store for the world, then times were changing. Some realized that, some saw opportunity, some saw chaos, and few, very few, saw the dawn of a new age coming.

—

"What do you mean Deku can't get the medals?" Katsuki raged at Recovery Girl, his arms and torso completely covered by bandages and will power alone keeping him awake.

The doctor glared at him, "This idiot here overclocked his body, so much that he still being conscious it's a miracle or a clinical aberration." She pointed her cane menacingly at Izuku, who was completely covered in bandages from the neck down.

Izuku would have shrugged if he could, "It's not that bad."

Recovery Girl sent him a scalding glare, "If you show up on my door looking like him, I'm bursting out my titanium cane." The threat sent a chill down the boys' spines.

Just at that moment Eri came barging through the door again, most of the class behind her while some stayed back to fight off the security robots trying to block their path. Seeing her Master looking like a mummy, Eri panicked, "Izuku! Don't die! Here, Cura!" Knowing the spell would overshot again, she didn't resist it as Izuku probably needed all the cure she could give.

Katsuki could swear he heard his bones mending themselves while Izuku visibly relaxed, "You good?"

The green haired boy gave a small nod but didn't move more than that, "Yeah, the pain turned from excruciating to bearable."

Katsuki deadpanned, "Your definition of bearable it's not the same as that of a sane person."

"He got you there." Shoto, who had walked in too, agreed.

Eri jumped on Izuku and hugged him, hearing his bones making funny noises, "Hum, didn't it work?"

Izuku smiled, "It did, it's just that I broke my everything out there, nothing a good night of sleep won't fix."

Recovery Girl sighed, "And that's why I can't let you receive the medal, you can't even stand."

Katsuki was about to protest again when he had an idea, "If that's the problem then it's easy to fix. Eijiro, go grab Cementos. Ponytail, make us some decent clothes. Icy-hot, grab his legs, I get the arms. I have an idea." He gave out a concerning grin.

"Should we be scared?" Ochaco asked.

"Probably." Toru nodded.

—

Inko was still calming down from the show the kids had put on, and she would later make sure to scold them for the recklessness, when Toshinori said he had to take his leave for a bit. Something work related, just on time to deliver the medals, that was suspicious at the very least.

When the winners were called she didn't expect to see her son up, but more than that she didn't expect to see Izuku seated on a concrete throne made from the first place platform.

He was covered in bandages, the open uniform jacket over his shoulders exposing them, however the thing that most grabbed Inko's attention was his shiny eyes and brilliant smile. Her gaze softened, her son had fun.

On the second place platform, perched on a square seat that seemed to have been carved by explosions on that shape, Katsuki looked at the crowd cheering them on. He didn't appear mad with second place but actually satisfied with how he ended up with it. Inko chuckled, of course the little firecracker would only be fine with second place if his best friend had put him on it after a healthy dose of mass destruction.

On the third, strangely, only the haven headed boy Inko recognized as Fumikage stood. She knew Tenya should have shared it, what happened?

Just as the line of thought started, it crashed along All Might, who had jumped down from the stadium covers. If the timing hadn't been the clue she needed, then the awkward but adorable moment he fumbled after Midnight spoke over his line was.

—

Toshinori recovered from the embarrassing mishap of his entrance and started his role at that important moment. He first hopped up the third place platform, silently asking himself what emergency caused the youngest Iida to not be there.

Brushing it aside, he marched to Young Tokoyami and picked the bronze medal, "You two did very well, without a doubt you will be explendid heroes in the future." Toshinori spoke with a softer voice, keeping the words the most private he could in that situation.

Fumikage accepted the medal graciously, Dark Shadow staring at the polished metal from over his shoulder, "We must thank Izuku for opening our eyes."

The living shadow nodded, "Yeah, now we know what you see in him." Dark Shadow cackled while Toshinori coughed awkwardly.

"Y-yes! Good to see my students getting along." The hero patted their shoulders and quickly made his way to the second platform, escaping the amused pair.

There, Katsuki kept comfortable on his perch, "I thought Cementos made a chair for you too?" Toshinori asked, genuinely curious.

Katsuki shook his head, "I didn't win, so the only one that should be on a throne is Deku. He better enjoy it, next year that spot is mine." He grinned.

Toshinori nodded in understanding, "I'm glad to see this defeat only served to push you forward Young Bakugo."

The bomber snickered, "You're gonna see how much it pushed me when I leave you on the dust."

Toshinori laughed while putting the silver medal on Katsuki's neck, "I can't wait for it."

Finally going up to the first place platform, Toshinori looked at his successor seated on his throne, Katsuki's analogy serving the image perfectly, "You did well my boy."

Izuku's smile widened, "Thanks, it was really fun!"

"I hope so, you will be really sore tomorrow so at least it should be worth it."

"My thoughts exactly!" They laughed.

Toshinori gave a last chuckle before nodding, "Congratulations my boy, you showed the world you are here." He picked the golden medal and proudly put its sash on Izuku's neck. Giving a last look to his successor, he walked away to give some final words to the audience.

The boy, not able to move but still having enough strength to look down at the golden ornament hanging from his neck, chuckled, "Yeah. I… we are here, and the world knows it."

"That was irresponsible, reckless, insane and bother line suicide, but damn kid, we're proud of you." Nana was torn between hitting Izuku's head or hugging the stuffing out of him, unfortunately she could do neither.

"Thanks." Looking ahead, at the sea of people cheering the names of today and tomorrow's champions, Izuku finished, "I'm feeling pretty proud of us too."

And with that, the UA first year's Sports Festival was over.

—

Shouta rubbed his temples, awaiting his class to arrive for some last words, both on their schedule and on their performance. The latter was the reason behind his growing headache, why were those kids so reckless? Oh right, they're teenagers.

The door opened and in came the class, with the addition of a six year old girl that helped Uraraka to pull a weightless Midoriya. Shouta should have cared, but he really didn't.

"Take your seats, I'll make this brief." The students did so, the little girl putting Midoriya on his chair before sitting on his lap. Giving them all a long stare, he started, "First, congratulations on your placements, you all worked hard and for that you should be proud." The teens barely had time to perk up when he cut to the other, less positive, part, "However, you all have much to improve, don't let it go to your heads. Also, some of you have been especially reckless in your matches." Shouta glared pointedly at Midoriya.

He only smiled, not regretting his actions one bit. Sighing, the teacher gave the announcement they wouldn't have classes the next day and they should rest. Asking if anyone had other questions, surprisingly it was the little girl that raised her hand.

"Yes?" At this point, Shouta didn't have the energy to worry about it.

"We broke some robots when we're going to see Izuku in the nursery, I just wanted to say sorry." She bowed her head.

Shouta sighed, "Don't worry about it."

Ashido gasped, "Our princess got even Aizawa-sensei! All hail princess Eri!" The class gave a collective cheer that made the little girl beam.

Sighing tiredly, Shouta decided he had enough, "If that's it, class dismissed."

—

Katsuki finished grabbing Izuku's and his things, "Got everything, you?" He asked Eri, who nodded and held a floating Izuku like a balloon.

"Are you okay?" Shoto asked, earning a nod from Izuku.

"Yeah, just tired."

"Do you want me to go with you to keep Deku floating?" Ochaco offered.

Eri shook her head, "Toshi is going to take us home." As if summoned by the princess' words, the door opened, the skeletal man peeking inside.

"Oh, there you are. C'mon kids, you too Young Bakugo, I'll give you a ride."

Denki looked at the others, "How's that guy here?" Only to get another slap from Katsuki and a painful poke from Kyoka, "Ouch! Again?!"

"Stop being stupid and it won't happen anymore." The girl huffed.

Walking out, Eri turned back to the class while Toshinori secured his successor, "Bye guys!" The little girl got a lot of excited goodbyes, having successfully gained the hearts of class 1-A.

—

Inko took a picture from her place on the passenger seat of Toshinori's truck. Checking the image she smiled softly, it was a perfect capture of Izuku, Katsuki and Eri on the back seat, the boys at the sides with the little girl in the middle. The three were sleeping after the long day, each boy resting his head on the respective window while Eri almost climbed to Izuku.

Toshinori took a glance at them from the rear view and chuckled, "Does they look like just an hour ago they were shaking a stadium?"

Inko gave him a nod, "Yes, almost can fool me. But to be fair, you don't look like half an hour ago you jumped from the top of said stadium, All Might."

While liking to think he knew how to keep his nerves, Toshinori would have coughed up blood if the kids on the back seat hadn't fixed him, "What?! I mean, what are you talking about? I…" Seeing the amused grin on Inko's face, Toshinori just accepted his loss, "When did you figure it out?"

"Just today, I started to connect the dots and you gave the last clue when you had to go on a 'work related emergency' just when All Might appeared and came back when he was gone." Inko then whispered under her breath, "And that adorable mishap also helped." She giggled behind her hand.

Toshinori berated himself for his carelessness, "Could you please…"

"Not tell anyone? Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Inko patted his arm gently before looking back, "Do they know?"

"Izuku does, I'm not sure about Eri but we might as well tell her too." He glanced at the woman, seeing her soft green eyes still shining with unasked questions he sighed, "I could stay for a bit, help with Young Izuku and what not, then we can talk."

Inko hummed to herself, "I would like that."

—

The cloaked man watched as Shigaraki glared fixedly at Izuku's form sitting on his throne. He knew now was the best time to give a very important lesson so asking a favor to Kurogiri in a low whisper, the man started.

"You know what makes or breaks an army? It's leader." He grabbed the chess set the mist villain passed him and set it on the counter between him and Shigaraki, "They command the show, they chose the tough decisions and more importantly, they inspire people to rise up and fight for them, willing or not." The man muttered the last part.

Picking up the black and white king pieces he put the black one in Shigaraki's side of the board, the white piece he pointed at Izuku, "You two, you are the ones that will be clashing in this war you want to start. Don't doubt for a single second that Izuku won't do his all to stop you." The cloaked man set the white king down.

"But the thing is, you don't fight a war with the leaders, no, you do it with the pawns, the knights, the hooks, you get the idea." He picked the white pieces and started to set them down, "And Izzy already has his full set, he has people that would march with him to war, just like before." The man chuckled, "And you Dusty, who do you have on your side?"

Shigaraki stared at the lone black king for a moment before nodding, "Just like Sensei, there's many people I can use." He started to set his side of the board, one piece at the time, "I can get them on my side, I can use them to take out his army, and then…" Shigaraki glared at the white king before directing his scalding gaze to the hero on his throne, "I can take him down, and watch the world crumble without a pillar."

The man's smile was visible even with the shadow of his hood hiding his features. Shigaraki shifted his target, realizing the pillar he had to destroy wasn't All Might. Nodding he stated, "Good, but remember, Izuku's on the lead. Before one upping him, you have first to close the gap, how do you plan to do that?"

Shigaraki stayed silent for a moment before picking the TV's controller and changing the channel. The news broadcast talked of how the hero Ingenium was attacked by a villain that day and was in the hospital, the name of the assailant bolded for all to see.

The Hero Killer: Stain.

Holy crap that was a looooooot of stuff.

But yeah, the Sports Festival is done! Yay! Hope you liked it, if you don't and want to rage at me because of it, feel free too.

Also, Eri is on her own quest to be friends with everything sentient enough to understand the concept of friendship! Just like her Master, they grow up so fast.

Also also, Inko knows Toshinori is All Might, why? Because of reasons! You want to know which reasons? Then read and find out!

Also times three, there's a lot of Shigaraki development in the end, because I'm taking our favorite dusty menace to a really dark path.

And yeah, that's the Sports Festival and all the craziness it contained.

Sorry for the long note. Oh, and join the discord, there's cool people there.