Before the third round, there are some extra recreational games. Everyone can participate, but they're mostly for those who won't be advancing any further in the festival. It's another chance to be noticed or perform their best before the day ends, while there are still eyes on them.

It's also when Byleth is given a break, as Present Mic will be presiding over these events. When she had originally arrived in the break room, she had immediately taken a seat and began drafting a training schedule for Shinso. Soon after, Aizawa had walked in for his own break, and she had quickly roped him into assisting her.

Shinso will be a Hero student, Nezu can't stop both of them. It's a good bit of fun, and the time leading to the next event soon dwindles down.

Returning to her place as Umpire, Byleth glances around at the gathered crowd. This is it, the final event. Bringing the Sublime Creator sword up once more, Byleth brings it down on the platform (which had been replaced between events) to call everyone's attention.

When it quiets down, Byleth calls out, "We will now be moving on to the third and final event of the Sports Festival! As per tradition, the final sixteen participants will be competing in a tournament to determine who stands at the top. Any one of our participants could claim victory, but they must first make their way through four of their fellow competitors! Now, let us determine the match-ups!"

Tapping the sword against her platform, a holographic randomizer quickly cycles through all of the students participating, spitting out eight pairs of opponents.

Izuku Midoriya Vs. Hitoshi Shinso

Shoto Todoroki Vs. Kinoko Komori

Denki Kaminari Vs. Mei Hatsume

Mina Ashido Vs. Kyoka Jiro

Hanta Sero Vs. Tenya Iida

Flayn Drake Vs. Toru Hagakure

Momo Yaoyorozu Vs. Eijiro Kirishima

Katsuki Bakugou Vs. Ochako Uraraka

Byleth nods, "Your opponents have been decided! Izuku Midoriya and Hitoshi Shinso! Please make your way to your assigned preparation rooms! The first tournament match will soon begin!"

Glancing at the two students, Byleth tries to gauge their attitudes. Midoriya looks nervous, but determined. Meanwhile, Shinso appears confident in himself after his last two victories. In Byleth's opinion the match could go either way, it all depends on if Midoriya can figure out how to deal with Shinso's Quirk.

There's a thrum of excitement building in the stadium, the dark horse Gen Ed student versus a clear talent from the Hero Course. People want to see how the battle goes, to finally get a clue as to what Shinso's mysterious Quirk is, and to see Midoriya let loose with his own Quirk that he'd used sparingly throughout the festival.

Eventually, the time for the match rolls around and the two students take their places in the arena Cementoss had constructed. The two stare each other down, a subtle tension building in the air.

Byleth raises her sword, holding for a moment before bringing it down with a shout of, "Begin!"

Green energy erupts across Midoriya's body as he charges Shinso, clearly intent on ending the match quickly.

Shinso dodges a telegraphed attack and calls out to Midoriya, "Must be nice to have such a Heroic Quirk, huh? You enjoy your free ticket to the Hero course? You proud you don't have to work as hard as anyone else?"

Midoriya grits his teeth and throws another punch that Shinso deflects. It would seem Shinso has some proper combat training, another credit to him joining the Hero Course.

Shinso taunts Midoriya again, "Honestly, it seems like they'll let anyone into the Hero Course these days, as long as they like their Quirk. Take that hot-head Pomeranian for instance, who in their right mind would think someone like that could make it as a Hero?"

Midoriya seems to take offense to that, shouting, "Don't you dar-!"

Midoriya freezes, falling under the affects of Shinso's Quirk.

Shinso lets out a sigh, "You held out for a bit longer than I expected, but everyone has their weak points. You seem like a nice guy, so of course you'd care about those around you. Sorry about this, but I want that ticket into the Hero Course. Now, do me a favor and walk out of bounds."

Against his own will, Midoriya's feet start to move, taking him towards the bounds of the arena. Byleth hums to herself, taking mental note to work with the students on not falling for taunts. Such an obvious strategy, but one that had been effective since the dawn of time.

Just as Midoriya is about to step out of bounds, Byleth's senses start screaming at her. Looking to the entrance on Midoriya's side of the arena, she can see… spirits, or fragments of them at least. Vestiges of people long dead, and they seem to have a connection to Midoriya.

Midoriya's Quirk surges for a brief moment, the energy completely flooding his body before concentrating to a small point, his finger. A dust cloud kicks up as Midoriya's Quirk fires. When it clears Midoriya is still standing in bounds, having regained control over his body. The spirits have also vanished by now.

Not wasting his chance, Midoriya reactivates his Quirk at a manageable level and charges Shinso again. Shinso's taunts continue, flustered and desperate to get Midoriya back under control.

"How'd you do that? Come on, you can tell me!"

"What drives you to fight so hard? You think you've got something to prove here?"

"You don't get it! Do you have any idea what it's like at the bottom?!"

Each and every one goes ignored as Midoriya pushes Shinso back, forcing him closer and closer to the boundary line. Shinso tries to fight back, but Midoriya is both stronger and faster than him. Soon enough, Shinso finds himself on his back across the line.

Byleth taps the sword on her platform, "Shinso has been knocked out of bounds, leaving Midoriya as the winner! Participants, please visit Recovery Girl and then return to your seats. The next match will begin shortly!"

Shinso walks away dejected, thinking he's lost his chance. Byleth and Aizawa both know better though. By the time school resumes after the festival, Shinso will be a Hero Course student.

A/N: First match is done! Most matches won't take up as much space as this one and will just be like a paragraph or two, but I figured the story important ones deserved their time in the spotlight. Especially if they reveal something new in regards to Byleth or the two Nabateans. Anyway, see y'all around for the next one. Bye!