Quick note before we begin, I drew an image of Asia as she appears in this story. You can find it on my Deviantart account of the same name.

Ch. 25: Disquieting Premonition

By Monday, school was back in session. Everyone in Class 1-A talked about how they and 1-B received a few minutes of screen time on the news, even if it was because of something scary.

"You guys! Did you watch the news last night?" Toru asked.

"Yeah?" Ojiro responded.

"It was so cool that we got a few seconds of screen time! Though I bet no one noticed me hanging out in the background."

"Probably not," Mezo said bluntly, to Ojiro's shock.

"It was difficult to stand out when you're just gloves," Ojiro tried to console Toru.

"We're totally big deals. Those news channels love us, we're basically celebrities," Denki said as he turned his head behind him to talk to Eijiro.

"Yeah, it's kinda crazy, right?" Eijiro replied.

"I'm not surprised," Ethel commented as she read a book. "The Hero Course responsible for some of Japan's top Pros was attacked by villains out of nowhere. It'd be more surprising if it didn't make the news."

"Who knows what would've happened to us and 1-B if the teachers hadn't shown up?" Hanta said.

"WHY'D YOU SAY THAT?!" Mineta suddenly shrieked. "I'm gonna pee myself just thinking about it!"

"OH, SHUT UP!" Katsuki shouted. "GROW A PAIR, LOSER!"

"Did you guys see All Might fighting the bird guy? That dude was super strong and he still destroyed him!" Rikido said while throwing mock punches.

"Yes, his strength is truly a thing of wonder," Fumikage commented.

Then, the clock started approaching 8:25.

"ATTENTION! HOMEROOM CLASS IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!" Tenya announced as he rushed to the front of the classroom. "STOP TALKING AND TAKE YOUR SEATS!"

…Except everyone was already in their seats.

"Uh, we're all sitting," Eijiro pointed out.

"Yeah, you're the only one who's standing," Hanta added.

Having made a fool of himself, Tenya returned to his seat, dejected. "Dang it."

"Don't sweat it," Ochaco smiled.

Mina leaned back on her chair to face Tsuyu. "Hey, Tsu. So-whoa!" Her seat fell back a bit, but Tsuyu managed to push her back straight. "Who do you think's gonna teach class today?"

Tsuyu pressed a finger to her cheek. "No idea. Mr. Aizawa's still in the hospital recovering from his injuries."

Suddenly the classroom door opened, drawing everyone's eyes toward it.

"Morning class," A heavily bandaged Shota Aizawa gave a muffled greeting from the doorway, his entire face wrapped in bandages while both of his arms hung in casts over his chest.

"Mr. Aizawa, what are you doing here?!" The students cried out all at once. His determination to resume teaching even while injured was almost scary.

"Whoa! What a Pro…" Denki said.

"What kind of a crazy person teaches like that?!" Hilda asked.

"Mr. Aizawa! I'm glad you're okay!" Tenya greeted with his arm raised.

"You call that… okay?" Ochaco said, looking at their teacher limping like a living mummy.

"My well-being is irrelevant," Aizawa dismissed as he made it to his desk. "And I'll pay back that 'crazy' comment later," Hilda flinched. "What's more important is that your fight isn't over yet."

"Our fight?" Katsuki asked.

"Don't tell me…" Izuku wondered.

"Not more bad guys…?" Mineta shook in fear.

After a few seconds of silent suspense, Aizawa finished his statement. "The U.A. Sports Festival is about to start."

"UGH! WHY WOULD YOU SCARE US LIKE THAT?!" The students burst into an outcry.

Eijiro, however, burst out of his seat in excitement. "Let's go kick some ass!"

However, he was quickly brought back down to earth by Denki pushing his head aside as the latter slightly rose up from his desk. "Wait a second," Denki said.

"Is it really such a good idea to hold the Sports Festival so soon after the Villains snuck inside?" Kyoka asked a valid question.

"They could attack once we're all in the same place," Ojiro added.

"Apparently, the administration thinks this is a good way to show that the threat has been handled and our school is safer than ever," Aizawa explained. "Plus they're beefing up security compared to past years. This event is a huge opportunity for all students at U.A. It's not something we can cancel because of a few villains."

"Uh. I'm sorry, but why not? It's just a Sports Festival," Mineta voiced his disagreement.

"Huh? Mineta, don't you know how important this competition is?" Izuku asked.

"Of course I do! I just don't wanna get murdered."

"Our Sports Festival is one of the most-watched events in the entire world," Aizawa continued. "In the past, everyone obsessed over the Olympic Games, but then Quirks started appearing. Now, the Olympics have been drastically reduced in terms of scale and viewership. For anyone who cares about competition, there's only one tournament that matters. The U.A. Sports Festival."

"That's right. And Top Heroes everywhere will be watching," Momo added as she faced backward to speak. "This is where you get scouted!"

"Sure, unless you're dead," Mineta sweated nervously.

"She's right. After graduating, a lot of people join Pro Agencies as sidekicks," Denki elaborated with a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, but that's as far as some people go. They miss their chance to go indie and stay eternal sidekicks," Kyoka interjected as she turned to Denki. "Actually, that's probably where you're headed. You're kinda dumb."

Denki's face twisted into a grimace at her remark.

"It's true that joining a famous Hero Agency can garner you greater experience and popularity. That's why the Festival matters. If you wanna go Pro one day, then this event could open a path for you. One chance a year. Three chances in a lifetime. No aspiring Hero can afford to miss this Festival. That means you better not slack off on your training." Aizawa concluded.

"Yes, sir!"

"Class is dismissed."

Soon, the bell rang for lunchtime, and the moment Cementoss exited the classroom, the students started talking about the Sports Festival.

"That Villain stuff sucked, sure…" Eijiro began. "BUT I'M PUMPED FOR THESE GAMES!"

"If we put on a good show, then we're basically on the road to being Pros!" Hanta agreed.

"Yeah, this is why I'm even here in the first place!" Rikido pounded his fist into his palm.

"We get so few chances, we have to make the most of this," Fumikage pondered.

"Oh, man! Ojiro, I'm getting kind of nervous about the Festival!" Toru conversed with the tailed boy. "I have to come up with a way to get noticed!"

"Uh, sure. Maybe you should be looking at a shinier costume or something?" Ojiro suggested as Toru practiced cheering. "Otherwise, you're gonna have to try really hard."

"My, what's a boy to do? I stand out even when I'm standing still. That means the scouts won't be able to take their eyes off me!" Yuga bragged to a nervous Koji. "Don't you agree?"

Koji could only nod his head in response.

"You're so lucky, Shoji. People are bound to notice your unique Quirk," Denki commented.

"Sure, but what matters is that I show how useful I can be," Mezo responded, clutching his fist.

"No doubt, you'll make a scene too," Kyoka said, thinking back to Denki's brain-dead face, causing him to grumble angrily.

"I'm ready to kick butt and take names!" Hilda cheered.

"This will be an exhilarating experience," Momo said in agreement.

Izuku smiled at seeing how excited his classmates were. "This is gonna be nuts. Everyone's so excited."

"Well yeah, of course we are!" Tenya stood up. "We all enrolled at this school with the sole aim of becoming Heroes, so naturally we're all getting fired up!"

"All the more reason to get excited," Tomoe smiled in agreement.

"You have to be excited too, right, Midoriya?" Tenya asked.

"Well, yeah. Of course, I am," Izuku replied. "And also nervous…"

"Deku! Iida! Meguri!" The three turned around to see a serious-faced Ochaco with a pink aura surging all around her body, wearing a bloodthirsty grin. "Let's do our best in the Sports Festival!"

They were all surprised at the sudden shift in tone. "U-Uraraka, are you okay?" Tomoe asked.

"What's gotten into you?" Hilda asked as she suddenly entered the conversation.

"Seriously, what's up? You're normally like, the most laid-back girl ever," Mina commented.

Mineta got a blush on his face as a dirty thought entered his mind. "PM-" Luckily, Tsuyu was there to stop him with a tongue slap.

"EVERYONE! I'M GONNA DO MY BEST!" Ochaco roared as she raised her arms.

Still, her attitude was rather infectious, causing Izuku and the others to raise their arms in agreement, Tomoe even joining Ochaco in roaring with her.

Ochaco then turned to her other classmates. "I SAID I'M GONNA DO MY BEST!"

Along the way to the cafeteria, Izuku decided to ask Ochaco a question of why she wanted to be a Pro Hero, and her answer was quite surprising. "For the money?! You wanna be a Hero so you can get rich?!"

Ochaco was rapidly scratching the back of her head. "If we're cutting to the chase, yeah. I'm sorry if it sounds greedy! You guys have such admirable motivations, I hope you don't think less of me now."

"Not at all! Your goal is to support your well-being, which is a perfectly admirable ambition to have!" Tenya reassured.

"Yeah, even Heroes need money to get by and continue Heroing," Mina said.

"Earning a living for yourself isn't something anyone can fault you for," Momo added.

"Mm-hmm," Izuku nodded. "It's just kinda surprising."

Trying to hide her blushing face, Ochaco continued. "Well, you see, my family owns a construction company, but we haven't gotten any work lately, so we're flat broke. Anyway, this isn't really something I usually tell other people but…"

"Construction, eh?" Tenya mused.

"If she got licensed, I bet she could use her Quirk to bring costs down a lot!" Izuku realized.

"And they could sell their heavy lifting equipment," Momo added. "She could float everything."

"I know, right?!" Ochaco made finger guns at them. "I've been telling Dad that since I was a kid! But…" She then told them of this one time when she was little, she promised her parents that when she grew up, she would help them any way she could. However, her father instead encouraged her to focus on her own dreams and jokingly suggested that she could take them somewhere nice if she made a lot of money.

"I get how that feels," Tomoe said. "Me and my parents aren't on good terms with our other relatives, so times have been tough for us as well…"

"I'm gonna become a Pro. I'm gonna sign with a good Agency and make plenty of money. Then I'll be able to let my parents have an easy life," Ochaco finished, her face full of determination.

"Oh, man, Uraraka. That's so thoughtful…" Eijiro let out a small manly tear.

"That's beautiful! So noble!" Tenya clapped enthusiastically. "Bravo! Bravo! BRAVO!"

They soon arrived at the cafeteria, meeting up with Rias, Akeno, Yumi, Asia, Itsuka, Chacha, and Orihime.

Suddenly…

"Young Midoriya… IS HERE!"

All Might appeared suddenly from a corner, surprising them all. They were still not used to the fact that the Number One Hero was actually here teaching.

"Whoa, All Might! What are you doing here?!" Izuku exclaimed.

"Lunch. You wanna eat with me?" All Might asked shyly as he held up a packed lunch box.

"That's adorable!" Ochaco laughed.

Izuku looked at his friends before Rias gestured to him to go with All Might. Izuku blinked in surprise but nodded, following the Number One Pro to the teachers' lounge.

Once he entered the room after All Might, Izuku looked around, more than a little confused. "All Might, is there there a reason why…"

"It's… a bit of a long story. Brace yourself," All Might warned.

"Huh? What do you-?"

*Poof!*

Izuku looked up, just in time to see All Might engulfed in steam, leaving in his place, a skinny and emaciated man, coughing a small bit of blood.

"…HUH!?"

"I wonder what he wanted with Deku?" Ochaco wondered as she and the others waited in line in the cafeteria.

"I heard that during the USJ incident, Midoriya was the one who stopped that Shigaraki villain from attacking All Might," Orihime said.

"Ah, I remember that," Asia said.

"Maybe that's what this is about?" Yumi suggested.

"Possibly. Plus Midoriya packs a serious punch," Tenya added. "With the incredible amount of power that Midoriya can deliver, it's possible that All Might's taken a liking to him!" He hypothesized.

"Oh yeah!" Ochaco smiled, putting her fist into her palm.

"Just what I'd expect from Izuku," Chacha said.

"How lucky to have been noticed by his idol," Rias smiled.

"Looks like our Izuku is already on the fast lane to becoming a Pro Hero," Akeno said.

Unbeknownst to any of them, Shoto, who was ahead of them in line, overheard their conversation. 'All Might and Izuku Midoriya, huh?'

Back at the teachers' lounge, Izuku was in the middle of a complete freakout. He had just been talking to his hero All Might, a giant of a man who saves everyone. Someone who defeats all obstacles with a fearless smile. But he had taken his eyes off of the Hero for only a second and now, an emaciated man stood in his place. "I, wait…who…what happened? You deflated? Where did All Might go? You… you're not him. You're a fake, an imposter!"

Toshinori stood up straight. "I assure you, I am All Might. You know how guys at the pool are always sucking in and flexing to try and look all buff? I'm like that."

He was tempted to shout that what he was hearing couldn't be real; the only thing stopping him from actually shouting it out was his experience with the supernatural these past few months.

"I'll skip the unnecessary details. First, I want to thank you for stopping Shigaraki back at the USJ. Otherwise, who knows what could've happened." Izuku was surprised to hear that. "And next, I have an offer for you…"

"An offer?"

"I'm not trying to pressure you, so you don't need to feel obligated to say yes, but this is something major," Toshinori said. "I deem you worthy of my power. My Quirk is yours to inherit."

There was a pause before Izuku tilted his head in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean, inherit? Inherit what?"

"As I said, I want you to inherit my Quirk."

Izuku's jaw dropped slightly and his head tilted to the side. What did he just say? Inherit his Quirk?

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna force this thing on you. Listen well, young man. This is your choice," Toshinori began. "DO YOU WANNA ACCEPT MY AWESOME POWER OR NOT?!"

"All Might, I don't understand. What are you saying? That's…" Izuku trailed off, remembering just what he was. "Kinda hard to believe," he decided on.

"I don't blame ya. Anyway, there are a couple of things you should know about my abilities," Toshinori continued. "Journalists always guess my Quirk as super strength or some kind of invulnerability. When people ask in interviews, I always make a joke and dodge the question. It's because the world needs to believe that their Symbol of Peace is just a natural-born Hero like any of them. But I'm not, there's nothing natural about my ability. I wasn't born with this power, it's a sacred torch that was passed onto me from someone else."

"Someone gave you this Quirk? No way."

"Yes way. And you're next. I want to give you my abilities."

"Wait! Hold one, this is a lot to process!" Izuku said. "It's true that there is a lot of debate on what your Quirk actually is, nobody's ever figured it out. It's one of the world's greatest mysteries. People are constantly talking about it online!" Mumble, mumble, mumble.

As Izuku spiraled into a mumbling mess, Toshinori scratched the back of his head.

"Uh, it sounds like you're overthinking this whole inheriting thing." It quickly became clear that Izuku didn't even hear him. "STOP NERDING OUT!"

This snapped Izuku out of his mumbling trance. "I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around this. It's just…" he stopped himself, remembering just what HE is. "A lot to process."

"Understandable," Toshinori nodded. He went on to explain the true nature of his Quirk, One For All, that it was a Quirk that stockpiles power, having done so over several generations. He also went into detail about his injury, how he lost a lung and his whole stomach, while his respiratory system was basically shot. He also explained how his injury gave him a limit to how much hero work he could do each day. Ever since the USJ, All Might can only use his power for about an hour and a half.

"Young Midoriya," Toshinori continued. "I understand that this is a bit much to process, and you don't have to accept this offer right away. I'm more than willing to wait for your answer. How about either before or after the Sports Festival? Will that work?"

"Uh, sure. That's enough time," Izuku nodded.

"Good. Oh, and just so you know, Young Kirishima and Young Ashido know about this as well. Ever since the Sludge Villain incident," Toshinori added.

Later, Izuku asked to speak with Eijiro and Mina privately.

"So All Might offered you One For All? Good for you!" Mina cheered.

"Yeah, if there's anyone who's worthy of inheriting it, I'd say it's you!" Eijiro added.

"Thanks, but I'm not entirely sure about it," Izuku said.

"Hey, it's cool. It's either a lot of pressure or you're not sure if you can handle it, or both. Even so, I think you can do it!" Mina supported, with Eijiro nodding.

"Thanks," Izuku replied, smiling.

Eventually, the last period for the day ended and Class 1-A got ready to leave, only to see a large crowd gathered out the door.

"Why the heck are you all here!?" Ochaco exclaimed in surprise.

"Do you students have some business with our class?" Tenya inquired.

"Why are you blocking our doorway? I won't let you hold us hostage!" Mineta complained.

"They're scouting out the competition, idiot," Katsuki said as he walked past him. "We and 1-B are the classes that survived a real Villain attack, they wanna see us with their own eyes."

As Mineta took offense at the verbal abuse, Katsuki confronted the crowd. "At least now you know what a future Pro looks like. "Now move it, extras."

"You can't walk around calling people extras just because you don't know who they are!" Tenya lectured, his arms chopping the air as he did so.

"I came to see what Classes 1-A and 1-B were like, but you just sound like an ass," A student with gravity-defying indigo hair, and a worn-out and tired face that could give Aizawa's a run for its money, said as he made his way to the front of the crowd. "Is everyone in the Hero Course delusional, or just you?"

Tenya, Mineta, Ochaco, and Izuku vigorously shook their heads and hands in denial while Katsuki's face morphed into an angry scowl.

"How sad to come here and find a bunch of egomaniacs. I wanted to be in the Hero Course, but like many others here, I was forced to choose a different track. Such is life," the indigo-haired teen continued. "I didn't cut it the first time around, but I have another chance. If any of us do well in the Sports Festival, the teachers can decide to transfer us to the Hero Course. And they'll have to transfer people out to make room." He then turned his gaze to everyone in 1-A. "Scouting the competition? Maybe some of my peers are, but I'm here to let you know that if you don't bring your very best, I'll steal your spot right from under you. Consider this a declaration of war."

The majority of the class shared the same thought. 'Where did this guy even come from?!'

But then…

"Really, Hitoshi? Trying to psyche us out with a bluff? I thought you had more sense than that," Hilda called out.

The indigo-haired teen, now known as Hitoshi, winced at the chiding. The 1-A students turned to their fat classmate, surprised that she knew the guy.

"Shirakabe, you know that individual?" Tenya questioned.

"Oh, he's my sister's boyfriend," Hilda replied.

"You have a sister? And he's her boyfriend?" Dani asked.

"Jeez, Hitoshi, are you trying to paint a target on your back?" A female voice asked. "Also, what did you think was gonna happen saying that to a class that has someone you know?"

Then, the owner of the voice made her way to the front of the crowd. She was a brunette with very long hair tied in two large sock buns above her ears, two long locks hanging loose to her waist, shorter locks on either side of her face, pale peach skin, and dark blue eyes. The thing that stood out the most was how she was about as large and fat as Hilda was. Overall, she resembled Hilda a lot; it was easy to guess this new girl was the sister Hilda mentioned.

"Yeah, sorry. I guess it was a dumb idea to begin with," Hitoshi conceded.

"Rosa!" Hilda called out as she ran over to greet her sister and fellow fatty.

"Hilda!" Rosa responded. The two hugged each other, their bellies squishing together as they giggled jovially.

And with that, the tension that Hitoshi had caused had all but dissipated.

"Okay, so most of the stuff I said was just BS to try and intimidate you, but what isn't is the part about having another chance. I blew it in the Entrance Exam because I didn't prepare enough, but this time, it'll be different. I've been working out every day since then, so I'm better prepared. Better remember that. Name's Hitoshi Shinso," Hitoshi declared before leaving the scene.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Kyoka said.

"Hey Hilda, care to introduce your sister?" Toru asked.

"Oh, of course. Everyone, meet my younger twin sister, Rosa."

"Hi, Hilda's friends! Rosa Shirakabe, I'm in 1-C General Studies. I hope my big sis is getting along nicely with you all."

The majority of the class was amazed at how Rosa was easygoing and friendly like her sister.

Meanwhile, Mineta was grumbling to himself. "That lucky bastard, scoring a big beautiful fatty like her…"

This earned him a jab from Kyoka's earphone jack, who heard him with her sharp hearing.

Katsuki, seeing no more reason for him to stay, glared at the crowd to make room for him to leave.

"Dude, where are ya going? You gotta say something or they're gonna be hating on us!" Eijiro said.

"These people don't matter," Katsuki said. "The only thing that's important is that I beat them."

Seeing him leave, most of the other students of 1-A couldn't help but see the logic in Katsuki's simple but powerful words. As Izuku walked out, he noticed that there was a sizable crowd in front of 1-B as well. There were just two weeks leading to the Sports Festival; two weeks to make up his mind.

Later at home, Izuku's mind was playing back everything he learned about his favorite Pro Hero. He still found himself in disbelief that the Symbol of Peace was hiding such a secret. But the biggest takeaway had to be how All Might actually offered to give him his Quirk!

Honestly, all those years of coming up with theories, searching in online forums, rewatching interviews, etc. in hopes of finding out more about All Might's Quirk were rendered moot the moment All Might himself spilled the beans. Not that it made the thought of inheriting said Quirk bear any less pressure.

"Something on your mind, Izuku?" Rias asked.

"You could say that," he replied.

"I figured. There was the USJ, and the upcoming Sports Festival, and anything else I didn't mention?"

Izuku once again thought back to All Might's offer. 'Should I tell her, or…'

*Ding-dong*

The sudden sound of the doorbell brought him out of his thoughts as he and Rias turned to the front door.

"Are we expecting guests right now?" Izuku asked.

"Did you forget?" Rias reminded him. "This morning, I told you that we'd be having the club meeting here today due to all the extracurricular buildings being closed for inspection following the USJ incident."

"Yeah, I remember now," Izuku blinked as he remembered.

"Good. Now why don't we go invite our guests in?" Rias said.

Soon, the club members got settled in and the meeting got underway. Not long after, Inko came along with a plate of cookies. "Sorry to barge in, kids."

"Oh, welcome to the meeting, mother," Asia said.

Well, I brought something to liven things up," Inko then took out a few photo albums that Izuku recognized right away.

"MOM! Don't show everyone those pictures!" Izuku cried out.

Inko smirked as she put up her hand to stop him. "Sorry dear, but this is all part of growing up. You need to learn to live with it." She then turned to his friends. "So, who wants to see Izuku when he was just a little boy?"

Soon, everyone was looking through the photo albums.

"Wow, he's like a mini All Might! Aw, so small and so adorable!" Akeno smiled as she, Mina, and Eijiro looked at a picture of little Izuku in his All Might onesie, posing as said Hero.

"Since he's so small and adorable, maybe we should call him 'Small Might?'" Mina joked.

"Hah, that totally fits!" Eijiro laughed.

"A glimpse into Izuku's embarrassing past," Koneko smirked as she and Ravel looked at an embarrassing photo.

Ravel chuckled. "What's the story for this one?" She asked Inko.

Inko only needed to glance at the photo to recall the event it depicted. "That's from when he tried to save a spider from being crushed, but it started crawling all over him." Ravel laughed while Koneko smiled in amusement.

"Oh no, it's a tiny, itty-witty-bitty Izuku!" Rias was gushing over a photo of Izuku in kindergarten, not even the image of a smirking little Katsuki standing close to little Izuku could ruin the moment.

"I totally agree with Rias. Tiny, itty-bitty, and cute!" Asia cooed.

"He sure is," Itsuka smiled as she looked at another photo album.

Izuku could only sigh before he turned to Yumi, who too was giggling at a photo from another album. "Not you too, Yumi," he groaned.

"Oh come on, Izuku. It helps us get to know you better," the bishoujo snickered as she flipped through the pages. As soon as she stopped at another page, her face turned to shock. "Hey, Izuku, this picture…?" Izuku almost didn't hear Yumi's voice starting to crack.

Izuku went over to look and had a sad look on his face. "Oh, that." The photos showed Izuku and another child with chestnut hair, both having towels tied behind their backs like capes while acting like Heroes. "That's Icchan."

"Icchan?" Yumi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A childhood friend. We met when I tried to protect her from Kacchan, though I got beaten, but we ended up becoming friends. After that, we played together all the time, not to mention we were both into Heroes. She encouraged me that despite being Quirkless, I could become a Hero too. But she had to move when one of her parents got a job overseas," Izuku told her. "Imagine if she could see me now, attending U.A."

"One more thing. Do you remember this sword?" Yumi asked, pointing to a sword in the background.

"No. I mean, I was little," Izuku answered.

"I guess anything's possible, huh?" Yumi commented.

"Eh?" Izuku looked at her, and he could see the smile on her face. However, it wasn't her normal warm, friendly smile; it showed anger and hatred.

"This is a Holy Sword."

"A what?" Izuku asked.

"Never mind. It's nothing," Yumi dismissed before handing the album to Izuku. "Great pictures. Thank you."

"Um… okay?" Izuku said with an unsure look on his face. He hadn't seen an expression like that before. It could put even Kacchan's angry scowl to shame.

Later that night, Izuku still thought about that last conversation with Yumi as he got ready to depart to his client's address.

The meeting was normal for the most part, even with his mother showing off his childhood pictures against his will, but what wasn't normal was Yumi's angry expression. He noticed her demeanor changed after she saw the sword in the photo. He would ask her about that next time, right now, he had a job to do.

Izuku soon arrived at an apartment complex located in uptown Musutafu.

"Here we are," Izuku muttered as he made his way to the client's place. He rang the doorbell and waited. A few seconds later, the door opened halfway, and there to greet him was a tall man appearing to be in his twenties with black hair, golden bangs, and a black goatee, wearing a dark green yukata.

"Hello," Izuku greeted. "You're the one who summoned me, aren't you? I'm sure you were expecting me to appear from the flier, which might be more Devil-like than ringing the doorbell, but the thing is, I used to have trouble with that, and it's kinda become a habit. So…"

"Well, you might as well come in," the man dismissed, much to Izuku's surprise. "What's wrong? You're still a Devil, right?"

Walking into one of the rooms, Izuku sat down on one of the sofas and looked around. "This place is amazing. It's weird, though. He doesn't look like he's from around here, so I wonder what he does."

The client then came in, standing at the doorway, carrying a silver tray holding up silver cups and sake. "Something to drink, perhaps?"

"Oh, no thanks," Izuku declined. "I'd love to, but I'm still a minor."

"Really? Bummer," the man walked over to the sofa on the right of the one Izuku was sitting on. "I was hoping to have a partner to drink with," he said after sitting down and pouring himself a glass of sake.

"So you wanted a Devil to have drinks?" Izuku asked.

"What, is that bad?"

"N-No, it's fine!" Izuku reassured. "The contract will be formed when I fulfill your request and receive a fitting compensation in return."

The man started setting out the cups and bottles. "Unfortunately, all I have is sake," he said. "You okay with tap water?"

"Yeah, sure."

Not long after, the man was red in the face from the sake. "Hahaha! So your magic was so weak you had to ride a bike to see the people who summoned you?"

"Well, kinda…" Izuku replied, taking a sip of water.

"That's hilarious! Hahaha!"

Eventually, the summoner finished his bottle of sake. "Ah, that was fun. So what would you like as compensation?"

"Already?" Izuku asked.

"You're a Devil, right? I guess you want my soul?"

"N-No, I don't want your soul! All I did was have a drink with you, so that wouldn't fit the contract at all!" Izuku denied.

"Oh? That's unexpected."

"Yeah, I know. But regardless, my master's motto is still 'honest billing.'"

The man then gestured to a painting of flowers in a pot behind himself. "Will this suit your fancy?" He asked. "It's not a reproduction."

"Doesn't that seem kinda expensive?" Izuku asked.

"I don't have anything else to pay you with at the moment," the man said. "If it won't work, I have my soul."

"I-It's cool, the painting's fine."

Soon, Izuku was outside, getting ready to head back with the painting strapped to his back. 'This is quite an unusual payment for just having a drink and chat with the client,' he thought.

Izuku got ready to teleport when he suddenly got a text. "Oh, it's Rias."

In the text, Rias informed him of another Stray Devil and included the coordinates of where to meet. He quickly arrived at the site where the rest of Rias's Peerage were waiting.

"I'm sorry I had to make you come out," Rias said with her arms crossed.

"Nah, it's fine," he said, before looking at the abandoned building. "Is the Stray hiding in there?"

"We believe so," Ravel said.

"No one can miss the smell of a Stray Devil," Koneko said.

"No kidding. We've been given orders to take it down before the night is over," Akeno said.

Rias smiled confidently. "Whatever it is must be extremely dangerous. We shouldn't try to fight it inside. Asia, you wait at the rear."

"Yes, ma'am!" Asia nodded.

"Akeno and I will be ready and waiting outside. So Koneko, Yumi, and Izuku, draw the enemy out where we can take care of it."

"Makes sense to me," Akeno said.

"Right," Koneko said.

"I'm on it," Izuku said before drawing out his Boosted Gear.

However, when Rias looked toward Yumi, she noticed that the other girl didn't seem to be focused on the task at hand. "Yumi?" She asked.

As the others looked at her with confusion, it took a solid second for her to snap out of it and answer. "Yeah. Right. Got it."

Izuku, worried for Yumi, followed her with Koneko close behind. He wasn't the only one, as Rias watched her Knight with concern.

When they approached the closed metal doors, Koneko was the first to walk up to it and threw her first forward.

*BAM!*

Thanks to her power as a Rook, she was able to easily break the doors off their hinges, sending them to the floor. "Let's go."

"Right," Izuku followed her inside with Yumi lagging behind.

Inside, the three Devils looked around before Koneko spotted something. "It's here."

The Stray was seemingly a frightened, nude, young woman, but its disguise didn't last for long before it revealed its true hideous appearance, akin to a giant spider as it started crawling up on the roof.

Izuku quickly braced himself for a fight, activating a Boost.

Koneko noticed Yumi seemed to be distracted again. "Yumi, focus. What are you doing? Hey, Yumi!"

"Huh? Sorry!"

Suddenly, the Stray shot a spray of murky green liquid from its spider spinneret at Koneko, grazing her arm. It appeared to be some sort of acid, as there was a burn on her arm and some bits of her clothes also dissolved.

[Boost!]

After activating another Boost, Izuku quickly rushed over to the Rook's side.

[Explosion!]

"Dragon Shot!" He fired a Dragon Shot at the Stray Devil, knocking it back a bit.

He then noticed that Yumi was zoning out again. "Yumi!"

Snapping out of it, Yumi quickly rushed at the Stray, cutting off the beast's left arm. But then she tripped on a long pipe on the ground, giving the Stray an opening to strike with its intact right arm.

"YUMI!" Izuku shouted in concern.

The Stray opened its mouth full of fangs to try and bite down on the Knight, but it was stopped by Koneko.

"It's time to go!" Koneko threw the Stray into the air, sending it flying through the glass roof.

"Akeno," Rias said as she watched from the ground.

Akeno, who was up in the air while clad in her Miko outfit, responded. "I'm all over it, Rias." She summoned a yellow magic circle and zapped the airborne Stray with lightning.

As the charred monster landed on the ground, Rias walked up to it. "Stray Devil, you who ran wild away from your master to fulfill your own desires, for such a crime you deserve to die a thousand times over. And now, in the name of the Duke of Gremory, you shall pay… WITH YOUR LIFE! TIME TO DIE!" Rias fired a bolt of her Power of Destruction, and in a flash of red and black, the Stray Devil was completely eradicated, leaving no trace of its existence.

Izuku and Koneko walked out of the building to see that the Stray had been dealt with.

"That poor creature's heart is completely lost at this point," Akeno said as she descended to the ground. "You could barely call her a Devil anymore."

"I don't wanna end up like that," Izuku shuddered.

"Now you know what deserves an emergency subduing order," Akeno said.

"Koneko! Do you need help?" Asia said as she slithered over and noticed the burn on Koneko's arm.

"Yes please."

Thanks to Asia's Twilight Healing, Koneko's arm was as good as new in seconds.

Suddenly, a sharp slapping sound was heard. Looking over his shoulder, Izuku saw Rias standing in front of Yumi with her hand motioning to a stop. "Think you got it together now?" She asked with a stern frown. "With a mistake like that, you put everyone here in serious danger."

"I apologize," Yumi replied.

"What's the matter, Yumi? This isn't like you," Rias asked in concern.

"I'm fine. Just having an off day," Yumi insisted. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Buchou…" she bowed to Rias before walking away.

"Yumi…" Rias' expression turned worrisome as she watched Yumi depart.

"Yumi!" Izuku shouted as he ran after her. "What's going on? You're acting weird! Why would you be so rude to Buchou?"

"It's got nothing to do with you," Yumi replied harshly.

"That doesn't mean I can't be worried!" Izuku retorted.

"Worried? Why would you ever be worried?" Yumi turned around to face him with an emotionless smile. "Devils are, by nature, selfish beings."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Izuku frowned. "If you're upset, then you can talk to me about it! I mean, we are friends, aren't we?"

"Friends, huh? Right," Yumi looked up at him. "Izuku, I appreciate your passion. However, something's recently been brought to my attention."

"Something like what?"

"A purpose," Yumi revealed. "See, I remembered my reason for living, that is to say, the reason I fight."

"I thought you were fighting for Rias?"

"You thought wrong. All I want is revenge."

"Revenge?"

Yumi turned to face Izuku, a look of pure rage and hatred in her eyes. "It won't be much longer now. I'm going to destroy Excalibur. That alone is my purpose." With that, Yumi walked off into the night. Izuku could only watch as she disappeared from sight.

Later at home, Izuku decided to consult with Rias about the possible cause of Yumi's strange attitude.

"Holy Swords are the worst weapons against Devils. Simply touching one burns a Devil's body, more importantly, to be cut by a Holy Sword could mean instant death. The truth is, a Holy Sword can annihilate a Devil."

"Wow, okay. That's kind of intense," Izuku replied.

"It is," Rias agreed. "The fact that those who can use one are extraordinarily rare is the Swords' biggest weakness. The Church did what they could: They tried to raise people artificially. Perhaps they could wield Excalibur? Then they would be able to annihilate Devils everywhere. It's known as the Holy Sword Project."

"Holy Sword Project?" Izuku said.

"The Church must have kept that super-secret because I never heard anything about it when I was there," Asia added.

"I would think not. It's in the past. I heard the Project failed completely."

"Well, let's hope so," Izuku said.

"Yumi… barely survived the project," Rias revealed.

"Wha?" Izuku asked in shock.

"Oh, poor Yumi," Asia said in sympathy as well.

Izuku then gasped as he realized something. "I think I know what set her off!" He then went to fetch the album that Yumi was looking at earlier and showed the picture of himself and the girl. "When Yumi looked at this, she said it was a Holy Sword."

Rias put a hand to her chin as she looked at the picture. "It's not nearly as powerful as Excalibur but there's no mistaking it. Yumi was right, that is a Holy Sword."

"I knew it. And I'm pretty sure she only started getting weird after seeing this picture," Izuku said.

"I don't understand why it would have been so close to Izuku, though," Asia said.

"Well, Icchan's family invited me to go with them to church all the time, maybe it has something to do with that?" Izuku suggested.

"Maybe…" Rias said. "But now that we're finished with unpleasantries…" the crimson-haired girl stood up and started to take off her shirt, showing off a sexy lace bra. "Come on, let's get to bed."

"Why are you taking off your clothes in here?!" Izuku asked with an intense blush.

"What?" Rias began removing her skirt. "You know I can't sleep unless I'm completely naked."

"No, I mean… Why…? Why are you undressing in my room?!"

"Well, obviously because I'm gonna sleep with you, silly," Rias answered as she was now down to her lingerie.

"Then I'm gonna do it too!" Asia said as she also started stripping. "Here goes! I'm sleeping with Izuku!"

"Fair is fair. I claimed him first; he's mine tonight!" Rias, who was now down to her panties, declared.

"No way! It's not fair for you to keep him all to yourself. I think I should be given the chance to spend the night with Izuku as well!" Asia, wearing only her custom-made panties, argued.

As the topless Rias and Asia argued, Izuku tried to diffuse the situation. "H-Hey, c-c-come on n-now, c-can't we t-talk a-about this?"

"Fine, I suppose the decision will be left to Izuku," Rias declared as she turned to the Pawn.

"Wait, what?!" Izuku exclaimed.

"Yes, I agree," Asia said as she also faced Izuku. "Alright Izuku, which will you choose?"

"Too close! Too close!" Izuku shouted as the two practically shoved their bare breasts in his face, making it grow redder and redder.

"Don't make me wait, Izuku…" Rias said seductively.

"I'm ready now, please be gentle…" Asia also said seductively.

"Izuku… Who are you going to sleep with tonight?!" Both girls asked.

In another part of the town, the abandoned church that was used in a certain ritual found itself with two visitors trying to get out of the rain. The white cloaks were recognizable and their hoods managed to keep their hair from getting wet as the rain started to get heavy.

One of them sighed as they entered the church. "I'd say that 'utter ruins' describes it," she said, looking over the ruined church.

"Rumor has it there was a disturbance here recently, caused by a Fallen Angel and a Devil," the second one said.

"It's getting late," the first figure pulled off her hood, revealing a teenage girl of Italian descent with blue chin-length hair with a green fringe on her head, and dark yellow eyes. "And you're certain this is it? We're supposed to be meeting him here, correct?"

The other girl pulled off her hood, revealing a young Japanese girl with long chestnut-colored hair in twintails and bright purple eyes. "Oh, please. Like I would be wrong? On top of that, I've lived in this city with my parents as a kid," she showed off a photo of herself as a kid, which also featured a boy with messy green hair and eyes. "Gimme a little credit, okay?"

Meanwhile, Yumi Kiba walked the streets alone, ignoring the downpour coming down on her, she just continued walking with an empty look on her face. As she walked, she thought back to her conversation with Izuku. 'I apologize, Izuku. But it wouldn't be right for me to have friends. I don't deserve that. Not now…'

Suddenly, a man came stumbling out from a corner. Judging by his clothes and the cross around his neck, he was a priest.

"Please… help me…!" The priest begged as he collapsed.

"A priest…" Yumi observed with indifference when she heard something.

"Neener, neener! Yoo-hoo!" Looking up, Yumi saw the deranged face of Freed Sellzen, who was swinging a sword with a wavy and jagged blade. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Did you miss me? It's nice to see the princess of the scum underworld has come to pay a visit."

"So, it's Freed Sellzen," Yumi's eyes narrowed into a glare. "Have you been hiding in town this whole time?"

"Such a wonderful reunion! It's bringing a tear to mine eye!" Freed said.

Yumi proceeded to forge a Demonic Sword. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not in the best mood today."

"That's perfect! I need some fun!" Freed laughed maniacally as he swung his sword around. "These pussified priests are getting so boring!"

As the sword glowed, Yumi seemed to realize what it was. "No. That light. That aura. It can't be."

"Oh, but it can! Nice timing!" Freed grinned. "As penance for your previous actions, let's have a little test to see which is stronger. So tell me what you think. Will your filthy Demonic Sword be the one? Or do you think it's more likely the Holy Sword known as Excalibur will be the victor?!"

Yumi gritted her teeth venomously as she prepared to battle Freed. "I will never forgive Excalibur for what it did to me."

So, as I said in the last chapter, the Sports Festival has been announced, and it seems there will be plenty of things happening to keep Izuku and his friends busy in the two weeks leading up to it.

All Might offers Izuku OFA, nothing new from canon. Other than Eijiro and Mina knowing about it.

Yumi's mood takes a dark turn after seeing a Holy Sword in one of Izuku's old pictures and is now about to confront Freed. In addition, the Exorcist duo are now in Musutafu.

I also introduced Rosa from Pokémon B2W2 as Hilda's sister; the idea to make her Hitoshi Shinso's girlfriend came from Knightmare Lord/DevilJoker.

See you next time. Go beyond! Plus Ultra!