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Tournament Uproar VI: The Underdogs

Ziost Ward, Tokyo
Day 22, Morning

Every year, on the day of the U.A. Sports Festival, Japan experienced a day of relative peace. Between all the heroes coming out to watch the festivities and an interest in watching the festival themselves, criminals and villains rarely saw the spring day as an opportunity to strike.

Yet, as he watched the battle between Hanta Sero and Togaru Kamakiri play out on a low-budget television, a part of Tomura Shigaraki wanted to go out and cause chaos to ruin the hero school's special day.

As the red-eyed heir of All For One stared at the screen, his Servant shared his thoughts on the match occurring, "This is a one-sided bout. That tape-wielding boy should have come prepared to face those who would not be restrained by his pathetic ability. He scores a 0 out of 16… or a 1 at best, but I am not inclined to believe that magecraft wielder would be unable to overcome him."

Kurogiri, who was at the bar, tilted his gaseous head at Berserker, "You've been using that scale with the other fighters too. I assume the scoring is based on their chances of victory against all the other participants? And magecraft wielder?"

Cú did not bother to answer him on either matter, but the warp gate user was savvy enough to work out the answers himself, 'He must be referring to Midoriya. We know the boy was Quirkless, so he must have developed this "magecraft" in between our previous encounter and now.'

"So Midoriya has developed a new ability… how fascinating. With the matter of the U.S.J., our previous encounter with him had all but left my memory."

Shigaraki butted in at that moment, incensed by the shift in the topic area, "Shut up about that crappy level, Kurogiri… just hearing the name of that fucking boss rush pisses me off. That stupid dragon bitch should have joined us, and then we could have crushed them all. Those stupid girls with ponytails, the jack-eared girl, the rainbow reinforcements… and then that damn spear whore—"

Shigaraki's voice was cut off suddenly, as a spearpoint was now loomed toward his neck. Kurogiri dropped the rag he was holding and cried out in shock, "Berserker! What are you doing?!"

Shigaraki glanced warily down at the crimson spear mere millimeters from his body, "Kurogiri's right, you damn Servant… what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Cú Chulainn Alter spoke sharply, "Scáthach may be an obstacle and an enemy… but she is still my teacher. I will not let you disrespect her— even if you are my Master."

After a tense moment, Shigaraki finally scoffed out the closest thing he could to an apology, "Whatever."

Saying nothing, Berserker dematerialized his spear and stalked off into the darkness of the hideout. Just before he fully vanished into shadow, Kurogiri could see him returning to Astral Form.

Looking at the spot where Berserker had been standing, Kurogiri couldn't help but feel worried, 'Berserker and Lancer are both dangerously unruly… speaking of, I do wonder what Lancer is doing right now.'

As it so happened, after hearing about the Sports Festival, the Indian dragon had developed a personal interest in the event. Although she had assured All For One and Kurogiri that she didn't plan on making a scene at U.A., she had made it clear she intended to get a first-hand look at the festivities.

'Lancer has held little interest in humanity as a whole… she scarcely even remembers anything about the heroes she killed in Nagoya. So why does she care about U.A.'s festivities? Does she hope to encounter one of U.A.'s Servants?'

The League now knew that U.A. was in control of numerous Servants— two Sabers, the False Rider, and Izuku Midoriya's Archer, at minimum. They might even now control the unknown Servant who arrived in that pillar of rainbow-colored light alongside her assumed Master.

'And given there are three Masters in 1-A, it would not surprise me if a Master existed in 1-B as well. Perhaps Lancer hopes to scope out the competition.'

Whatever Lancer's reasons, there was little Kurogiri could do but hope she did not stir up trouble. With all the extra time they had, All For One had deemed proper preparation for their next move a top priority. With Doctor Garaki's focus on reacclimating Dabi and Kurogiri's own investigation of a potential alliance with the Yakuza, the League did not need the complications of a front-line clash right now. Not to mention, All For One himself was making investigations into the area around Gigantomachia and Lancer's battle. It was difficult to act due to the Meta Liberation Army's influence in the area, but the Symbol of Evil was interested in that "Black Forest" which had repelled even Lancer. And something that could hold back Vritra, the forest could potentially be a major roadblock further into the Grail War.

'We're certainly stretched thin… we had to pull back our sponsorship of Wolfram and Nine's operations. Not to mention our overseas resources…'

Despite operating primarily in Japan, All For One had influence in countries all over the globe. He had notable footholds in America, China, and India— the last of which had provided him with his relic to summon Vritra— and connections to organizations like Humarise in Otheon, the Helotry in Egypt, and the Gollini Family in Italy.

With the Grail War's advent, the League focus had become more localized. They had bigger problems to deal with than modern-day cults and Italian crime families. With the possibility of granting a wish on the horizon, their goal was clear. They would obtain the Grail… and destroy everything that stood in the way of them claiming it.

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Afternoon

"I… I concede!"

With one of Kamakiri's large arm-blades pressed against his throat, Hanta Sero shouted out his concession to the stadium. Hearing his shout, Midnight snapped her whip, "Sero surrenders!"

Present Mic happily announced the result, "And that's it, folks! Despite Sero's plan to turn Kamakiri into a modern-day mummy, the blademaster just wasn't going to be stopped! Using his Quirk to its fullest, no tape was going to prevent him from reaching Round 2!"

Next to him, Eraserhead made his own observations, "Seems that Class 1-B is pleased about their classmate's progression."

Just as Aizawa had observed, the students of Class 1-B were in a state of rapturous celebration. Although Kamakiri wasn't exactly the most well-liked by any means, it felt good knowing one of their own had moved on to the next round.

"Really, Eraser? That's all you have to say after Sero's loss? He's in your class! Stand with your students already!"

Aizawa gave a sharp response, "My student underestimated his opponent. You can chalk that up to not knowing Kamakiri's Quirk, but at the end of the day, heroes need to adapt. In this case, Sero was unable to adapt."

"Well, do you at least want to offer him a proper word of advice?"

"His goal for the future is clear. He needs to become more adaptable. Heroes should always be thriving to be better. Nagoya proved that we weren't ready… and so next time, we must be ready."

"Just the sort of response I'd expect from you, Eraser. Hear that folks? Keep on striving to be better— or as we say at U.A.… GO BEYOND! PLUS ULTRA!"

The crowd shouted along in excitement, and once Sero and Kamakiri cleared the field, Present Mic quickly went about announcing the next match to come, "Now, we're almost halfway through the first round of battles! Next up… ooh, this one will be a divisive one for 1-B, so I hope they haven't gotten too riled up from Kamakiri's victory. It's a match between two of 1-B's finest… so get excited folks! Here they come now!"

Stepping out first was Juzo Honenuki, a boy with sandy-blonde hair and pale skin. However, his most striking feature were was teeth, which were flush with his skin.

"First up, we've got one of 1-B's recommendation students! Whether it's the dirt of the stadium or the cement of the very platform he's standing on, no surface isn't his to master! It's Juzo Honenuki!"

Up in the spectator's seat, Honenuki's family celebrated wildly. His father and mother watched on with pride alongside his grandfather, a retired Pro Hero. His five sisters, meanwhile, were cheering their hearts out with excitement.
"GO JUZO!"
"WIN THIS, BIG BRO JUZO!"

"SHOW THEM WHO'S BOSS, LITTLE BRO!"

Present Mic laughed, "Seems like Juzo's got quite the fan club, but his opponent's no slouch! The girl who was the leader of Juzo's Cavalry Team and the fifth-place student on this year's Entrance Exam— it's the Thorn Princess of 1-B, Ibara Shiozaki!"

"Thorn Princess…? Please do not make me out to be some sort of assassin. I fight honorably in the name of our Lord."

"Hmmm… seems Shiozaki had some choice words about my introduction. Sorry, young lady!"

Juzo chuckled as he locked eyes with his opponent, "Straight-laced as usual. You ready, Shiozaki?"
The thorn-haired Master of False Caster nodded, "Of course."

"Seems that both fighters are ready to go, and Midnight's given me the all clear… so let's get it going! Battle… START!"

The instant Present Mic shouted out the signal, Juzo Honenuki activated his softening Quirk and dove into the ground. It was a good thing he had done so. In seconds, Shiozaki's hair had coiled at the spot Honenuki had been standing, launched in hopes of entrapping him.

"And they've already gotten going! Shiozaki made a deadly strike at Honenuki, but 1-B's Class Representative narrowly escaped her grasp. How what will the fighters do?"

Ibara watched the ground carefully, 'Honenuki… he's under there somewhere. I know he can't soften my vines, but that doesn't give me much of an advantage.'

Unfortunately for Ibara, Honenuki's Quirk did not have much in the way of weaknesses. She knew that Softening did not work on living things, as she first observed in Honenuki and Kaibara's clash against Tsunotori and Fukidashi in the Battle Trial… but as she had already surmised, that wouldn't help her much.

'However, he can't surface and attack me just by hiding. My window of attack is slim, but…'

Yet before Ibara could think much further, the ground beneath her began to soften. Thinking quickly, she shot her vines down into the softened cement… which then suddenly hardened.

The vine-haired girl's eyes widened as she realized the trap she'd sprung, 'No! He—'

Bursting out from behind, Honenuki caught his opponent in a rear headlock, "Sorry Shiozaki… but you left yourself open."

Honenuki wasn't wrong. His maneuver worked because Shiozaki wasn't keeping to the edge of her side. Yet at the same time, if she had, Honenuki likely would have simply softened the ground to make her slip out of bounds.

As the crowd cheered, Honenuki spoke firmly to his classmate, "I don't want to drag this out… please surrender."

"Is this it folks? Has Honenuki already won this match?"

Midnight looked at the caught girl, "Shiozaki. Do you concede?"

Shiozaki opened her mouth to speak, but in a moment of hesitation, no words came out. In her head, she heard a voice.

"Come on Master… the girl I know wouldn't lose that easily."

Caster's words steeled Ibara's heart, and in response, she muttered softly, "I… I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Neither earth nor enemy shall bind me!"

Locking her leg around Honenuki while simultaneously pulling at his arm, Shiozaki executed a masterful throw, sending her opponent flying toward the cement floor of the battlefield. On instinct, the boy softened the ground around him to try and disappear into the ground. However, as he did so, he realized the terrible mistake he had made. In softening the ground, he had inadvertently also released something else nearby— the vines of Shiozaki's hair.

Caught by a full-powered whirlwind of vines, Honenuki quickly found himself laid atop a pillar of thorns, his limbs each pulled tight by a vine.

Her maneuver complete, Shiozaki spoke with purpose, "Via Retia."

Present Mic shouted in surprise, "Incredible! This is the holy in holy crap folks! Shiozaki has completely turned the tables on Honenuki! He's been caught in Shiozaki's spiderweb!"

"Actually, this more resembles tortures seen in China and the Tower of London. Quite an effective move."

Shiozaki frowned at being implicated as a torturer, but kept her focus on the battle at hand, "Honenuki… I humbly ask for you to concede."

The softener chuckled, "Using my own lines against me… ugh, you got me. I concede."

Midnight shouted out the result, "Honenuki concedes!"

Up in the stands, Juzo's youngest sister, Yuzu, grumbled, "That vine-haired girl's a meany… big bro should have won."

Her older twin sister, Miwa, agreed, "Yeah! She's a meanie!"

The eldest daughter of the Honenuki family, Matsuri, shook her head, "No, Juzo did his best. That vine girl simply had him beat. It's like the commentator said about the previous match… he wasn't good enough this time to win, and that is that. Doesn't mean our brother's a failure. Isn't that right, grandfather?"

Juzo's grandfather, Tousei, nodded, "Yes… Juzo did splendidly. He used his Quirk to its limit, and very nearly won. It is unfortunate he lost, but girls… clap for your brother. He's done very well."

Juzo's two remaining sisters, Nami and Touri, yelled energetically, "Yeah! Let's do it! GREAT JOB, JUZO!"

As Shiozaki let Honenuki go free, he heard the sound of cheers and claps… but not just at Shiozaki. Among the shouts of praise for the victor, he heard the congratulative words of his family.

"Everyone…"

Shiozaki smiled at her opponent, a dazzling view that momentarily left Juzo speechless, "The Lord smiles on all of his children… win or lose. It was a wonderful match, Honenuki."

"Shiozaki… thank you."

Looking down and seeing Honenuki's offered hand, Shiozaki shook it, "Good luck against Kamakiri, Shiozaki."

"What a wonderful display of sportsmanship! Despite the loss, Honenuki is standing proud! You love to see this folks! Let's give them another round of applause. Not just to Shiozaki, who is moving on to Round 2, but to the boy who gave it his all, Honenuki!"

With a backing of applause, Honenuki graciously exited the stadium, Shiozaki leaving just behind him. Surveying the state of the battlefield, Midnight gestured over to Cementoss, who began repairing the damage to the field.

Midnight smiled at her co-worker, "They're sure keeping you busy this year, huh Ken?"

The blocky-headed man nodded, "Yes, although luckily the Second-Year and Third-Year Stages aren't a far ride should I be needed. Besides, it's mainly the First-Years who are still learning to control how much property damage they inflict."

The R-Rated Heroine sighed, "Yeah… Aizawa and Vlad have yet to drive it home for them."

Cementoss laughed, "True. Although there are two General Studies students in the battles this year, no? Maybe they'll be a bit more careful."

"Mhm. Speaking of that… Mic will probably make his announcement any second now."

Just as Midnight predicted, the voice of her co-worker began to resound across the stadium.

"Well with that rapid-paced battle, we're already moving on to the fifth match of Round 1! It's a battle we've all been anxious to see— the first of two clashes between Heroics and General Studies!"

Walking down his respective tunnel, Izuku Midoriya locked eyes on his pink-skinned opponent, who was the first to be announced by Present Mic.

"With colorful looks and a bright smile, she's here to take the win! From Class 1-A, it's Mina Ashido!"

Mina grinned at the praise, "Hehe! Mr. Mic's right— I'm going to win this thing!"

She then winked at her opponent, who stepped up to the battlefield with a nervous look on his face.

"Up against her is the dark horse of the Obstacle Course, and a boy who discovered his Quirk just this year— it's Class 1-C's Izuku Midoriya! Check him out, everyone!"

Vigorous shouts and cheers echoed across the stadium, as the two fighters squared up.

As she took a moment to stretch, Mina offered some small talk to Izuku.

"So, Midori… remember that bet I wanted to make with you?"

"Y-Yeah… you wanted to hear about my training for the Sports Festival, right?"

The acid wielder grinned, "Yep! I want to hear all about your close-quarters training with Jiro! I'm not gonna be mean though— I'll only expect it when I win."

Izuku sweatdropped at her words, 'She might not realize it… but she's already decided she's going to win.'

"W-what about when I win?"

Ashido blinked at the statement, having not considered that possibility, "Um, well… I know! I'll owe you one!"

"Uh… do you want to be more specific?"

"No time for chatting, fighters! We've got a schedule to keep! Let the battle begin!"

Eraserhead grouchily added on to Present Mic's statement, "He means start."

With a gleeful laugh, Ashido dashed at her opponent. Midoriya, meanwhile, readied himself. As the visual of a snapping pencil echoed through his mind, the boy's body began to light up with green circuitry.

'Reinforcement… On!'

Student Seating, First-Year Stage
A Few Moments Earlier…

"Oh, awesome. Looks like I'm just in time."

Turning at the sound of a voice behind her, Ochaco Uraraka saw that her classmate, Kyoka Jiro, was walking into 1-A's seating area.

Ochaco wasn't the only one to turn, either. Kirishima shouted excitedly, "Welcome back, Jiro! Your match against Kaminari was super manly!"

Jiro looked at the hardener oddly, "Manly?"

Asui, however, had a question of her own, "Where's Kaminari, Kero?"

The jack-eared girl shrugged, "Probably still sulking. I don't know."

Asui didn't think that was it and prepared to say something. She supposed that to Jiro, who had not fought along Kaminari at the U.S.J. as she had, their electric classmate seemed like a shallow person. Yet she wouldn't allow the person who saved her and Mineta to be badmouthed in such a way— even if he had tried to trick the girls earlier.

But before she could speak, Kaminari arrived to defend himself, "Sorry guys— was calling my Mom. I might have lost… but I wanted to call her and tell her I was okay."

Jiro, upon hearing that, felt guilty. She hadn't considered her opponent properly and merely observed him at face value.

'I need to be better than this. Like how Saber and Saladin put aside their differences to stop that monster… I need to not make conclusions about people. Especially…'

Looking down, Jiro's eyes fell on Midoriya, her ex-teammate and— although she hesitated briefly to admit it— a new friend.

Tapping Kaminari's shoulder, she bowed her head slightly as the yellow-haired boy turned curiously, "Hmm, what's up, Jiro?"

"I'm sorry, Kaminari."

"What for?"

"I spoke about you behind your back. You may not have heard what I said… but I'd like to apologize."

Her former opponent scratched the back of his neck, "Thanks… I should apologize too. Sorry for teaming up with Mineta on that scheme. That wasn't cool of me."

Jiro smirked, "Apology accepted, Jamming-Whey."

The boy raised an eyebrow at the nickname as he held out his hand, "Friends?"

Jiro took it, "Friends."

Iida clapped in congratulations, "Wonderful! Truly, you both are pillars of what it means to be a U.A. Student!"

Jiro laughed, "Don't know about that one, Iida."

Mineta, who was fearful the conversation might shift to his own lack of a proper apology, pointed down to the stadium, "U-Uh guys, shouldn't we focus on the match? It's about to start!"

Indeed, as Mineta spoke, Present Mic made his announcement, and Mina Ashido sprang into action. She slid forward on acid, aiming to corral her opponent out of the battlefield with some well-placed splashes.

Midoriya wasn't going to give up though. With the speed that Mina had gotten a glimpse of during the first event, the green-haired General Studies student began darting around the battlefield. It was like a game of cat and mouse, pink and green dancing around the gray-colored battlefield.

As the two-way chase began, another set of students watched the battle with keen interest. They were the students of Class 1-C, seated on the other side of Class 1-B.

One of them, a girl with light brown hair, glanced nervously toward the battle as she spoke, "Hey, Togeike… do you think Midoriya can win? I know he's got a Quirk now and all, but they are Hero Course students…"

Chikuchi Togeike shook her head as she brought her arms up, "It's not about whether he can win or not, Sakanoue. Whatever the odds, I'm going to cheer on my friend."

The black-haired girl then brought her hands up to her mouth, amplifying her voice the best she could, "GO MIDORIYA!"

Next to Sakanoue, another member of class 1-C, a boy with yellow-orange hair spoke up, "Togeike's right, Sakanoue. We should cheer on Midoriya. Who knows… might help him win! GO MIDORIYA! WIN!"

Sakanoue hesitated for a moment before looking at her classmates. Togeike… Suzuki… Maehara… even the meek Koko Kokuri was cheering with a vigor Sakanoue didn't know the squirrel-tailed girl had.

'What am I thinking? They're right… I need to cheer on my classmate!'

Cupping her hands around her mouth like Togeike did, Sakanoue shouted with everything she had, "GO MIDORIYA! YOU GOT THIS!"

Nearby, the students of 1-D and 1-E looked over at their department-mates and began nodding and muttering amongst themselves.

Soon enough, united as one, the General Studies students were all cheering on Midoriya, a passionate display that did not go unnoticed.

"Incredible, Eraser! As Ashido and Midoriya race around the battlefield, the General Studies Students are stirring up a rancor of support!"

"1-A and 1-B should both take a good look at this. There's no room for petty rivalries as Pro Heroes… they need to grow up and work together."

Neito Monoma, the definite target of Aizawa's words, bit his lip in frustration. Kirisame, meanwhile, just gave him a clear 'I told you so' look.

"However, we're not here to focus on the stands… let's keep our eyes peeled on the action going on down below!"

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Afternoon

With a huff, Izuku Midoriya skidded to a brief halt, 'I can't keep this chase up forever… time for a new plan.'

Although he had a natural affinity for Reinforcement magecraft, Izuku's overall mastery was still in its infancy. With only rudimentary knowledge of how to be efficient with his magic circuits, he could only go so long without a break. If he and Ashido kept up their battle's current pace, he'd probably lose. And even if she ran out of acid first, he'd probably end up too exhausted for later rounds.

Seeing her opponent no longer running, Mina Ashido grinned, "Not gonna keep moving, Midori? Then how… about… THIS!"

Vaulting forward, Ashido unleashed a series of acrobatic spins and leaps, culminating in a blast of acid. Midoriya, surrounded by acid, seemed done for.

Present Mic exclaimed with worry, "Midoriya's stopped moving! Is he going to take that acid blast head-on? Don't melt, little listener!"

His co-commentator Eraserhead looked at Midoriya's expression carefully, "His eyes aren't those of a defeated fighter. Midoriya has a plan."

Up in the stands, Rin Tohsaka muttered softly, having determined Izuku's intentions, "So that's what he's going to do? Not bad."

Just as the wave of acid seemed like it would hit, Izuku's legs crackled with magical energy… and he jumped into the air.

"INCREDIBLE! DUPLICATING HIS PLIGHT FROM THE SECOND EVENT, IZUKU MIDORIYA HAS TAKEN TO THE SKIES!"

"My ears… shush."

As her acid fizzled against the cement where Midoriya had stood, Mina Ashido looked up in surprise.

Up in the air, Izuku Midoriya found his mind strangely clear. As his eyes shifted around, he swore he almost caught sight of a familiar black-and-red shape. He didn't have time to take a closer look, but just the thought of Archer watching bolstered his resolve. With magic still flooding his feet, he decided to take a gamble, thinking back on his lessons on Reinforcement.

As Shiro, Rin, and Ruler had made sure to remind him time and time again, Reinforcement was a power with limits. There was only so much an object could be enhanced before it broke. Izuku had been extremely careful with his own body… but perhaps he needn't be careful with everything.

'Sorry shoes, I really like you… but I need to win!'

Flooding prana into his red-colored shoes, Izuku reinforced his shoewear beyond its capacity. It was a rather easy task given his lack of experience with magecraft, but it had explosive results. As his shoes ripped themselves apart, two small bursts of concussive force were generated from them. Using his still-reinforced bare feet, Izuku used his exploding shoes as a springboard, rocketing back to earth.

Landed with enough force to indent the concrete, Izuku swung at Ashido with a fierce roundhouse kick. Not wanting to cripple his opponent, Izuku deactivated his Reinforcement while his leg was still in motion. Just as his limb made contact with Ashido's stomach, it returned to his ordinary level of strength. However, it still had the Reinforcement-induced inertia, and thus Ashido was sent flying by the blow. In a rough-sounding crash, she landed just inside the battlefield's limits.

"YOWCH! I didn't know mild-mannered Midoriya had it in him to hit a girl that hard! Ashido just got kicked right to the edge of the battlefield!"

Wobbling to her feet, Ashido shakily looked at her opponent, her balance completely shot, "H-Hey Midori! T-That was a little overboard, don'tcha think?"

Midoriya apologized, "S-Sorry, Ashido… it was the only thing I could think to do!"

The pink-haired girl smiled, "N-No worries! I'm alright… I think! I'm still standing, anyways!"

"Despite the ferocious blow, Ashido is still standing! She might not have a Quirk like students Kirishima or Tetsutetsu, but she's just as willful!"

Midnight watched carefully, "Ashido… are you sure you can continue?"

The girl nodded, "I… I can still fight!"

"Very well then… just be careful. And we'll be taking you to Recovery Girl afterward, to be safe."

Once Midnight was done talking, Midoriya continued closing in on his opponent, 'I already hit her with that brutal attack… I don't want to drag this out for her.'

Ashido, seeing Midoriya coming, defended herself as best she could. Yet between Quirk Exhaustion and a weakened balance, she wasn't able to stop Midoriya from closing in. Slipping under her guard, he dodged a final spray of acid by the skin of his teeth. Now only inches from his opponent, Izuku stood tall and firm. Putting his right hand on Ashido's shoulder, he locked eyes with her, making the disoriented girl blush slightly.

"Good fight, Ashido."

The girl smiled, knowing her defeat was inevitable, "You too, Midori."

Charging his hand with a small amount of Reinforcement, Izuku lightly pushed Ashido backward. With her damaged sense of balance, the acid wielder couldn't stop herself from falling outside the limits of the battlefield. The moment she landed on her butt, a buzzer resounded through the stadium, Midnight shouting at the same time, "Ashido is out of bounds!"

"And Ashido is ringed out with a final push from Midoriya! She stood strong after that ferocious comeback, but wasn't able to prevent her opponent's victory! What another incredible match folks! Both fighters, Heroics and General Studies alike, truly gave their all here! Let's give them a massive round of applause!"

A deluge of claps echoed throughout the stadium, and Eraserhead's tired voice continued, "Midoriya will be moving on to the second round."

Indeed the school robots had already come to carry Mina away. Izuku jogged over before she left though, "Again, I'm really sorry, Ashido."

The girl laughed, "Don't sweat it Midori! That was awesome, blowing up your shoes like that— you're hero stuff in my book."

Midoriya's eyes widened, and he smiled bashfully, "T-Thanks. That means a lot."

Ashido waved from her spot on the medical gurney, her thoughts happy despite her loss, 'I didn't get my infodump about the training… but I still had lots of fun! I hope that I get to see Midori more— he's a lot more outgoing and cute than I thought! Maybe… he could bring us back to twenty students again?'

Mina's mind wandered back to her first day of school, a day she still felt guilty about. It may not have been her who expelled Hagakure, but she still felt as though she incited Mr. Aizawa to do so. Maybe having a new classmate could help her lift that weight on her heart… or at least, that's what Mina hoped.

Izuku, meanwhile, went back to the prep rooms with a slight melancholic look on his face, 'If I hadn't weakened my leg in time… I could have killed Ashido. Ms. Tohsaka, Ms. Ruler… I'm starting to really see what's dangerous about magecraft.'

Yet Midoriya could not afford to wander through such negative thoughts for long. There was a very important match ahead— the match that would decide his next opponent in the Sports Festival.

Exterior Construction, First-Year Stage
Day 22, Afternoon

From her perch at the heights of the First-Year Stage, Oda Nobunaga watched her summoner disappear into the inside of the stadium.

Before she could analyze Izuku's win though, she felt a powerful presence approaching her.

'This aura… it's that of a dragon.'

On cue, materializing just a few feet away, was the False Lancer of the Holy Grail War. Making her way toward Nobunaga, Vritra nodded to herself.

"A military outfit and long black hair… yep, you're that Archer I heard about."

As Vritra appraised her, Nobunaga made her own analysis about the approaching dragon.

On the surface, the Servant was just a beautiful (if slightly reptilian) Indian woman. However, it was her tail and horns that also made her true draconic nature unmistakable. Lancer might hide under the veil of a beautiful, brown-skinned woman with golden hair, but her monstrous identity was impossible to truly conceal.

"..."

"Do you have no words for me, Archer? I've come to scope out the competition, so give me a treat!"

"I don't know what class you are, dragon… but what are you doing here? Are you here to kill me?"

"So you can sense my true nature? Well, I suppose only a fool wouldn't be able to. As for my class… I'll be generous. I'm a Lancer."

Nobunaga's eyes narrowed, "You didn't answer my final question."

Summoning a trishula into her hand, Lancer licked the weapon with a devious look in her eyes, "Well, I just came here to observe… but if it's a fight you want, I'll be happy to play along."

"No… I have more important matters today."

Lancer removed her tongue from the cold metal of Vajra, "Hmmm?"

The Servant before her was very different from what Kurogiri and the worm had described. Instead of the "aggressive crazy woman" Shigaraki had ranted about, Vritra could only see an icy woman weighed down by contemplation and mental turmoil.

'I don't really understand human emotions… but perhaps…'

"Oh? Does it have something to do with that Master of yours?

At those words, Archer stiffened, and Lancer knew her words had hit the mark. Sitting down near the Servant of the Bow, the Vedic dragon laughed, "Hahaha! Maybe I know humans after all!"

Nobunaga called forth a matchlock, poising it at the intrusive Servant, "Lancer…"

"Oh, don't get yourself in a twist, Archer. I'm just killing some time. So I'll be taking a bite of your spot, that's all~"

Third-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Afternoon

In the heart of the Third-Year Stage, U.A.'s Principal Nezu watched carefully as two members of this year's graduating class battled it out under the commentary of Class 3-G's teacher, Fuuki Maijima.

One was a girl with salmon-colored hair, Yuyu Haya. Making masterful use of her electricity-based Quirk, she had fashioned a bow of electrical energy, firing a barrage of lightning arrows.

"Take this, Nejire! Bolt Barraja!"

As the lightning attack streaked upwards, Yuyu's opponent was ready. Using her Quirk, Wave Motion, the periwinkle-haired beauty of Class 3-A, Nejire Hado, fought back.

"I'm not letting you beat me, Yuyu! Nejire Wave!"

The blast of vitality struck the arrows, the two forms of energy producing a violent explosion.

Yuyu grumbled, "Ugh… I still can't believe you can fly with those weights on."

As was customary for the Second- and Third-Year Stages, the events of the Sports Festival always had an additional condition applied to it. Last year they'd been forced to fight with foam swords, and now they had to grapple with being stuck with weights normally used in the first-year final exams.

Nezu resisted the urge to cackle at Haya's complaint, 'I see Ms. Hado has no issues with this year's condition. She's certainly faring better than Mr. Togata… permeating those weights off disqualified him, after all.'

Before the mammalian principal could revel in his students' difficulties any longer, a mental notification went off in his head. It was the signal, caused by magical energy flowing through Ariadne's strings.

'Ms. Caster… what is the matter?'

The voice of Ibara Shiozaki's Servant flowed through the mental link, "Principal Nezu. There's been a development in my network."

'Is it related to the breach earlier? With the threads you said were charmed?'

"No. Whatever did that is seemingly content to lurk. This time, however, the threads were barreled right through with no thought about being detected."

Nezu's brow furrowed, 'Do you know who it is?'

"Unfortunately, I do. With my experience from Nagoya, I'm certain— False Lancer is in the boundaries of the First-Year Stage. Somewhere on the exterior."

Nezu frowned. The False Lancer of the Grail War, as already revealed to him by Hansa Cervantes, was Vritra, a dragon of Indian Mythology. Even if one did not consider the legends of the Vedas, Vritra had already proven herself more than capable of killing top-ranked heroes. If she were to rampage at U.A.'s stadiums… the damage could be catastrophic.

Looking down at his smartwatch, Nezu tapped several buttons quickly, linking the footage of the exterior cameras to the small screen. Despite the small resolution, he rapidly determined the correct feed to focus on, amplifying it as best he could.

'This… that's interesting, very interesting.'

"Principal Nezu?"

Nezu smiled, 'I understand your concerns, Caster… but I have a feeling we will be alright. Continue to monitor the situation, but let's leave Lancer be for now.'

Ariadne was silent for a moment before responding, "I don't like it, but if she isn't aiming to fight, provoking her would be unwise. I'll defer to your judgment for now… though I am curious as to what assuaged your mind."

Nezu answered the thread-wielding Servant through another mental message, 'Let's just say there's someone there to keep an eye on her… a certain Archer.'

Ariadne responded with a thought of surprise, 'So, that priest's gamble worked out after all… Izuku Midoriya's Servant came to watch the festival.'

'Yes. I'm stuck here in the Third-Year Stage, however, so I will simply have to hear how it all goes later. Goodbye for now, Caster. Let me know of any major changes.'

"Goodbye, principal."

With that mental goodbye, the connection fizzled, and Nezu's thought-strand returned to a dormant state.

Now that he was confident that the First-Year Stage was not at risk of imminent disaster, Nezu turned his focus back to Hado and Haya's battle. He was the referee for their match, after all— it wouldn't do for him to be distracted.

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Afternoon

Even as the stadium calmed down from the high of Midoriya's surprise victory, Present Mic went about announcing the next match, "After that exciting clash, we've got another interesting match lined up! Let's watch Class 1-C's second champion take on the other Heroics class!"

Walking through first was a boy with black hair braided up into a ponytail.

"First up, we've got our member of Class 1-B— it's the dragon of mainland Asia, Hiryu Rin!"

Staring around the battlefield, Rin narrowed his eyes at his opponent, 'Shinso likely uses some form of mind control. But what are the activation conditions?'

"Up against him is the dark horse of Team Jiro, a boy whose powers are still a mystery to unravel! It's Hitoshi Shinso from the General Studies track!"

Aizawa gave his own comment on Shinso, surprising his co-commentator, "We've seen some hints of his abilities in the previous matches, and I'm guessing Rin's classmates have been sure to warn him. Shinso may have to tread very carefully."

"Is that advice I'm hearing, Eraser? Picked a favorite already?"

Up in the stands, Class 1-B watched intently. For those of them who had experienced Shinso's abilities, they could only hope their classmate could achieve victory.

Shinso, meanwhile, contemplated his strategy. Already, he was formulating several angles with which to ensnare Rin's mind.

In the commentators' box, Present Mic could see Eraserhead had no intention of saying anything further, so the Voice Hero decided to refocus on the match ahead, "Anyways, let's get on with it. Readyyyyyyyy…. START!"

As Rin raised his arms preparing to launch off a barrage of scales, Shinso made his move. Giving the most casual look he could, he looked up to the stands, "Man, I'm not looking forward to being up in the stands again. The wind's been on the cold side today, hasn't it?"

The sudden shift surprised Rin, who responded reactively to the topical shift, "Huh, what are y…o…u…"

"What the heck is happening? Rin was ready to fire off his scales, but now he's frozen in place!"

Going slack, Hiryu Rin was now fully under the thrall of Shinso's Quirk. The boy scratched his neck with a look of dry contempt, "I'm here to win, though, so I won't be going up there just yet. Now, walk out of bounds."

"And now he's walking toward the edge of the battlefield?! What the heck is going on?"

In the interior of the stadium, Momo Yaoyorozu looked at the match playing on a small television. Her expression tightened as she watched Rin approach the edge of the battlefield, 'Mind Control… so that is what he used on me in the Cavalry Battle.'

Momo had good reason to be worried about Shinso. If she managed to get through the gauntlet of tough opponents in her quarter of the bracket, Shinso may very well be her opponent in the semi-finals.

Still, reaching that point in the tournament would be no small feat. First, she had Kendo to deal with… and then either Tokoyami or Bakugo. Her training on Dagobah Beach had made her stronger, but she wasn't illogical. The odds weren't in her favor.

Tearing her eyes away from the screen, Momo began making her way toward the battlefield. It would be her turn in just a minute or two.

Outside, the battle between Rin and Shinso was wrapping up. As the mind-controlled scale wielder walked out of bounds, a buzzer resounded as Midnight made the call, "Rin is out of bounds! Shinso wins!"

Cementoss, feeling sorry for the boy, put his hand to the ground, disrupting the stairs Rin was walking on ever so slightly. The boy tumbled, the impact of the fall breaking Shinso's hold on his mind.

Back to his senses, Rin glanced at his surroundings in dismay as Present Mic announced the result, "What an upset! In only a minute, Shinso totally outplayed his opponent! He's going onwards to Round 2!"

Rin clutched the dirt frustratedly as Shinso walked off, the purple-haired boy's classmates cheering his name.

All the while, Pro Heroes across the stadium were in deep debate about Shinso's Quirk, many jealous of his incredible ability.

The purple-haired boy, however, was focused on one thing, 'Midoriya… seems we'll be facing each other in the Quarter Finals. You may know my Quirk, but I won't hold back. I'm going to join the Hero Course, whatever it takes!'

Student Seating, First-Year Stage
Day 22, Afternoon

Up in the stands, watching Shinso disappear into the interior of the stadium, Keito Maehara of Class 1-C whistled in awe.

"That's Shinso for ya. Cool and collected, even after his victory."

Next to him, a girl with light blue jelly-like hair murmured, "Hmmm… might not be it, Keito."

"Whadda mean, Furōfoshi?"

The girl, Furōfoshi Inoue, gestured to the bracket currently displayed on one of several large screens, "Look at the match-ups. Shinso's next opponent is Midoriya."

"Yeah, and?"

"I heard from a friend of mine in the Business Course that one of Class 1-A's students got expelled on day one. And not like that weird thing that we heard happened to 2-A… it's a she-still-hasn't-come-back type of expelled. So I bet both Shinso and Midoriya are gonna be gunning for that spot."

Above, Taro Suzuki mumbled, "I heard about that too… wonder if the teacher forgot 'cause of the Nagoya attack or something. That would be pretty screwed up though."

Koko Kokuri, a shy girl with a squirrel's ears and tail, shivered in fright, "The Heroics Course sounds scary…"

Chikuchi Togeike, however, focused her thoughts on her friend, 'Midoriya, I know you can do it. While Shinso may also be our classmate, I know that no one needs this win like you do. After all… don't you wish you could become a hero?'

Ota Ward, Tokyo
Day 22, Afternoon

After watching the matches between Ashido and Midoriya and Hiryu and Shinso, Toru Hagakure couldn't ignore the knot in her chest any longer. With a shakiness in her body, she ran out of the living room, startling both of her parents.

"Toru?"

"Toru, sweetie?"

Looking at the fleeing form of her Master, the Heroic Spirit Scáthach sighed. She had suspected this might happen. Toru, who had been expelled for being "too weak" for the Hero Course, was being forced to watch the cultivation of her replacement on national television. From what Scáthach had learned about U.A., they often replaced gaps in the Heroics classes with high performers from the Sports Festival. With Midoriya and Shinso both headed to the Quarter Final, the Lancer-class Servant and her Master had both come to the same conclusion: whoever made it to the Semi-Finals would likely be taking Toru's place in the Hero Course. For Toru, it was the nail in the coffin. Although she'd framed it differently, the girl's wish for training had ultimately been in preparation for what she hoped was an invitation back to 1-A. With the Sports Festival here and no such message having ever been sent, that hope had finally died.

'Toru has become stronger, but her heart is still fragile. I should have dealt with it sooner, but I think they still may be an important step for her. As hard as it is, the greatest warriors are born of tragedy and adversity.'

Seeing both Osamu and Riyo getting ready to check on their daughter, Scáthach (or "Darcy Kieran" as she was known to them) held out her arm.

Osamu blinked, "Ms. Kieran?"

"Please, let me speak to her first. I… understand what she is feeling."

The bespectacled man hesitated, his mind urging him to comfort his daughter, but he ultimately backed down, "Very well… we'll leave it to you, Ms. Kieran."

Scáthach nodded, "Thank you."

Turning to head down the hall to Toru's room, the Queen of Shadows considered how best to approach her discussion with Toru, 'There has been a degree of distance between Toru and I since that clash at the U.S.J. facility. I suspect she believes that U.A. thinks of her as a potential villain, with her expulsion and my decision to spare the school's enemies. I will need to both assure her of her own worth and the foolishness of that "Eraserhead" who taught her. She is still growing… but I pray that my Master will have the chance to prove her worth in the battles to come.'

First-Year Stage, U.A. High School
Day 22, Afternoon

"Now, we're down to the second-to-last match of the first round! It's a true battle of the beauties that's sure to be exciting, so get hyped, everyone!"

As the crowd cheered in excitement, the two fighters made their way out onto the field.

"Up first, it's the big sister of the Heroics Course and vice-representative of Class 1-A— let's hear it for Itsuka Kendo!"

Although slightly embarrassed by the rancor from the stands, the orange-haired girl smiled, 'Watch over me, everyone. All Might, Dad, Saber… I'm going to win this, and make it to the top.'

"Up against her is another girl who rocks that ponytail style! A toughened heiress who won't let anything keep her down— it's Momo Yaoyorozu!"

Although there were mutterings of recognition interspersed, Yaoyorozu got an equally large round of cheers from the crowd.

The match-up had particularly caught the eye of reporters, police, and heroes. It was a battle between the young heroine of the Sludge Villain Incident and the lone survivor of the attack on the Yaoyorozu Estate. Both of these girls had shown their tenacity to the country before… and now they would be doing it yet again.

"We're not going to keep you waiting, folks. So get ready, girls… AND START!"

The moment Present Mic shouted out that final word, Itsuka Kendo burst into action. She knew that Yaoyorozu's Creation Quirk couldn't make things instantaneously. If she could outspeed that, the match was hers.

Enlarging her fist, she swung a ferocious palm strike, aiming to knock her opponent out of the battlefield. Up in the stands, a particular Heroic Spirit grinned at the sight next to her red-winged Master, reminded of her own Noble Phantasm.

Yet, instead of striking flesh, when her palm found purchase, there was a sound of clanging metal. Looking forward, Itsuka saw that her opponent had conjured forth a large, ornate shield.

As Momo pushed back, Itsuka was knocked away, 'So fast! How did she…?'

Maneuvering her shield sideways, Momo Yaoyorozu stood at the ready, and Itsuka finally realized how she'd increased the speed of Creation so much. On the ground was the jacket of Momo's athletic uniform, leaving the girl's upper body covered only by a black sports bra.

'Dammit! I fell for her words back then hook, line, and sinker… or she changed her tune.'

Back on Dagobah Beach, during the training, Momo had shown a hesitancy to make full use of her Quirk's full capabilities. Due to her Quirk's requirement of needing to emerge from unclothed skin, creating anything of true size required Momo to wear clothes that were as revealing as possible.

Yet what Itsuka didn't know is that Momo Yaoyorozu had long since come to terms with the more embarrassing aspect of her Quirk. Her current hero costume had actually been a reworked design, altered to be in line with the costume regulations that Midnight's original hero costume had influenced.

Seeing an opportunity, however, Momo had decided to deceive her fellow Masters. During the Dagobah Beach training, she had pretended to be shy and embarrassed about showing her body, a trap that finally came to fruition.

With Itsuka caught off guard, Momo activated Creation once again, producing a familiar-looking cloth. Swinging the carbon fiber cloth forward, she trapped Itsuka in its grasp.

"Wait a second, Eraserhead! Isn't that—"

The homeroom teacher of Class 1-A confirmed Mic's suspicion "My capture weapon. I thought this might happen."

"Huh?"

"The day we announced the Sports Festival to the student body, Ms. Yaoyorozu asked if she could learn what my capture weapon was made out of. I had no reason to refuse, so I got her in touch with the company that makes it. Evidently, she was planning ahead for this very day."

"Incredible! That's a recommendation student for you! Always thinking ahead!"

"However… her opponent isn't going to be bested that easily."

Trapped in the carbon fiber cloth, Itsuka Kendo's fate seemed set. Yet, suddenly, she felt her head throb with pain, as a peaceful-sounding voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar rang out in her mind.

"Don't worry, Itsuka. You can still fight."

On cue with the voice, Itsuka's body began to glow with reddish vein-like lines. They weren't like the organized structure of Izuku Midoriya's Magic Circuits. This was the power of a Quirk passed through the generations— One For All.

Her body overflowing with power, Itsuka began struggling against the carbon fiber— which steadily began to give. If it had been Eraserhead wielding it, she likely would have had no chance of escape, even with One For All. Yet with Momo's inexperience with the capture cloth, there was enough slack to take advantage of. As soon as the cloth was loose enough, Itsuka had a window of escape. Her eyes turning red, Itsuka's face suddenly took on a different expression as she shot upwards into the sky in a burst of red energy.

"Holy moly! This Sports Festival keeps getting wild! What's with these students and going into the air?"

In midair, the red-eyed Itsuka spoke, her voice having a strange reverb to it, "It's not quite time for her to make full use of us. My role here is done."

Itsuka's eyes then swapped back to their normal teal color, and she looked around in confusion, 'I'm in the air? What just happened? It was like everything went black for a second…'

There was no time for uncertainty, however. With One For All still at her disposal, Itsuka decided to take a page from Midoriya's book, kicking the air to shoot down to earth. Her return, however, was not as free as Midoriya's was. Itsuka's eyes widened as she was assailed by a hailstorm of pellet bullets produced by a machine gun Momo had created.

"Not even a second to breathe, huh?"

Slamming an enlarged fist into the ground, the energies of One For All caused the very battlefield to shake, and Momo was forced to forget her machine gun and stabilize her footing.

"Itsuka Kendo's on a rampage! She's decimated the battlefield!"

As she looked at Momo, Itsuka could feel her heartbeat thumping, and her face was set into a massive grin, 'So this is what it's like to truly wield One For All… it's exhilarating!'

Calling out to her opponent with a laugh, Itsuka was ready to keep going, "Hey, Yaoyorozu! Are you having fun?"

Momo, still caught off guard about the cards that Kendo had kept up her sleeve, considered her answer. With Rider's visage flashing in her mind, she nodded with a smile, "Of course! Now Kendo… no, Itsuka! Let's keep fighting!"

"You're on, Momo!"

To be continued in Chapter 30: Next Level

Sports Festival Standings:
Round: Qualifying

Shoto Todoroki
Eijiro Kirishima
—
Kyoka Jiro
Denki Kaminari
—
Hanta Sero
Togaru Kamakiri
—
Juzo Honenuki
Ibara Shiozaki
—
Mina Ashido
Izuku Midoriya
—
Hiryu Rin
Hitoshi Shinso
—
Itsuka Kendo
Momo Yaoyorozu
—
Katsuki Bakugo
Fumikage Tokoyami

Lunar Files: On Quirklessness and Magecraft
A major plot point in this arc has been Izuku Midoriya's development of Magic Circuits. But what are the rules around it? I've lined up some useful questions and their answers below:

Are the residents of the World Egg born with the capacity to have Magic Circuits?
Yes. As the humans of the World Egg are based on the same framework as humans from the core reality, they have the ontological elements that allow Magic Circuits to form in the body. However, due to the lack of magical energy within the world (which lacks natural ley lines), the actual formation of magic circuits is impossible under normal circumstances.

So how does Izuku have Magic Circuits?
As I mentioned above, the lack of ley lines prevents the cultivation of Magic Circuits in normal circumstances. However, when Francesca Prelati brought in the False Grail of Snowfield, the energies of the False Grail caused ley lines to begin forming across Japan. Due to the limited power of the Grail, however, the magical energy has not been able to travel far outside of mainland Japan, with the Izu Islands being the furthest non-mainland area they extend to, albeit weakly. Even with the arrival of the True Grail, the ley lines won't be able to spread beyond the aforementioned boundaries.

Can residents of the World Egg reach the Root?
No. While the humans here can develop Circuits, Olkoth's history lacks the existence of an Age of Gods, and the systems of True Magic are limited to acting through agents and mediums that are not of Olkoth's creation (such as the Kaleiodsticks).

Can Quirk Wielders develop Magic Circuits?
No. The alien element of Olkoth that is the source of an individual's Quirk Factor prevents the formation of Magic Circuits from properly occurring. The later loss of a Quirk (via something like All For One or the Quirk Bullets used in the Shie Hassaikai Arc) would not allow an individual to eventually regain the possibility of having Magic Circuits, as Olkoth's presence still lingers in their DNA. Individuals who received a Quirk later in life in an unnatural way (such as through One For All or All For One) would find their magical abilities diminishing following the acquisition of a Quirk (if they had working magical abilities).

What About Francesca?
Unlike the situations described above, Prelati is an individual who already has magic circuits and acquired a Quirk through Olkoth's direct influence. Olkoth is able to bestow any individual it pleases with Quirks, able to use its higher dimensional knowledge to allow magical energy and Quirk Factor to exist in unison. Through this, Prelati was made as a perfect hybrid of the two power sets, but it is a quality that only exists due to Olkoth's direct action and cannot be achieved in any natural fashion.

If you have any further inquiries about how I'm handling Quirks and Magecraft, or just have any other questions regarding the story, please don't hesitate to ask!