Chapter 8: Battle On, Challengers!
Present Mic announced, "Welcome back to the finals, everyone! Sorry for that long wait. The insane amount of ice from the second match has finally been cleared, though, so it's time to welcome the new competitors! Even beautiful flowers have thorns. It's the assassin from Class 1-B. Ibara Shiozaki from the hero course! Versus one of the top contenders from the first round. He's a foreign exchange student from America. He's a phantom. From Class 1-A, it's Danny Fenton from the hero course."
Both Danny and Ibara walked into the battle arena as the audience cheered.
Jazz saw this happening on her TV at home, "Good luck, baby brother."
Present Mic narrated, "Keep those eyes peeled. I wanna see a super flashy battle this time!"
"Excuse me!" Ibara interrupted from down on the battle arena. "Please pardon the interruption. I'm not sure why you called me an assassin. I've come to the festival in search of victory, not to take my opponent's life. That wouldn't be in line with the values of a hero at all, sir."
Danny added, "Yeah, that was uncalled for, Present Mic. She clearly wants to become a hero so being called an assassin doesn't fit."
Present Mic said, "Right. I'm sorry."
"What a gentleman," Momo whispered.
"Ghost charming," Reiko muttered.
Ibara continued, "Gentlemen, I didn't enter UA for wicked or selfish reasons, but to deliver salvation to others! It is my humble quest to spread true good across this world."
"Listen!" Present Mic shouted. "I said I was sorry! That was my bad, OK?"
Ibara smiled, "I thank you for your kind understanding."
Danny smirked, "It's nice to see that not everyone in Class 1-B are jerks. And some listened to my speech a few weeks ago."
Both competitors took their positions as Present Mic announced, "So, anyway. Begin!"
Ibara said, "I usually don't do violence, but you must be immobilized for me to win!" She unleashed her vine hair to grab Danny, but Danny turned intangible.
Danny sighed, "I'm so sorry to do this, but you gave me an idea. Since this worked on Undergrowth, it will work on you as well. Just to immobilize, don't worry." He transformed into Phantom, but instead of his costume, he was still wearing his PE clothes as he put enough ecto energy into them so that they would stay when he transformed. His eyes then glowed icy blue as he touched the vines Ibara sent to him and froze them solid. The ice traveled all the way to Ibara and froze her in place."
"She's immobilized!" Present Mic announced. "That's all, folks! It was over in an instant! At least he didn't freeze half of the arena."
Midnight announced, "The winner is Fenton! He advances on!"
The crowd cheered as Danny walked over and unfroze Ibara. She bowed to Danny, "I'm just so thankful that I was able to make the most of the opportunity I was given today. Thank you for not using violence against me."
Danny nodded, "You're welcome. You seem like a kind soul so you didn't deserve to get beaten on."
Momo blushed, "Such a gentleman."
Reiko blushed, "Ghostly cool."
Shoto was shocked, "He has ice like I do. He's definitely a threat."
"Man, he's good," Jiro commented.
Monoma peered over the side to Class 1-A's booth, "Ibara may have lost, but there is still an opportunity to show that our class is superior. And Fenton showed that he's weak against the ladies. What a dweeb!"
He started to laugh, but then Kendo came up behind him and whacked him on the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious. She peered over the side, "Sorry about him."
"I hate that guy," Everyone in Class 1-A said.
Outside the stadium, other heroes were doing guard duty. Mt. Lady asked, "Kamui, did you watch that? Wouldn't she make, like, the perfect sidekick for you?"
Kamui nodded, "Yeah, wish I coulda seen more."
Mt. Lady continued, "She's great for your brand. You need someone cute!"
Kamui sighed, "Just get back to work."
Izuku was making notes in his notebook and mumbling his findings aloud, annoying everyone around him.
Ochaco said, "Maybe you should take a sec to relax before planning too many matches ahead."
Izuku yelped, "Oh, sorry. Sometimes I don't realize I'm talking too loud when I'm taking notes. It's not everyday I get to see incredible Quirks from people outside our class. And the ice Danny used is a power he doesn't use very often. Actually, I've been taking notes on everybody in our class, too. Here's what I got on your Zero Gravity."
Ochaco was disturbed, but chuckled, "You know, Deku, I've always known you're amazing. You've got so much drive and focus in you. And the sports festival is reminding me of that."
Danny returned to the booth and his class congratulated him on his victory, except Bakugo who just sulked, and Shoto who just glared at him.
Present Mic narrated, "Let's keep pumping out these hits and move on! Time for the fourth match! Get ready for two new players to duke it out! He's the kid with engines in his legs. Tenya Iida from the hero course. Versus a fully equipped gadget dynamo. The support course's Mei Hatsume!"
"So it's hero course versus support course," Jiro noted.
"I have no idea what this fight will look like," Tsuyu added.
"Uh, what's up with Iida?" Sato asked. "Where the heck did he get all that weird gear from?"
Tenya had on gear that Hatsume gave him, like a jet pack. Midnight said to him, "Hero course students can't use support gear unless they have to. And you didn't fill out any of the proper paperwork for that."
Tenya gasped, "I didn't know that was the rule! Aoyama got to wear his belt, so I thought it was fine."
Midnight replied, "He turned in the proper forms."
Tenya bowed down, "I apologize, ma'am. It's just that, my heart was moved by my opponent's sportsmanship. Even though she's from the support course, she wanted this to be as even a match as possible since she made it this far. To have a fair fight! So, she offered to give me this equipment. I respect her integrity. That's why, to honor her, I would like to wear this gear!"
Midnight got turned on by Tenya's speech, "Such youthful vigor! I'll allow it."
"Really?" Present Mic was shocked.
Aizawa added, "I guess if everyone's in agreement, then it's OK."
Izuku was confused, "Weird, that doesn't seem like something Hatsume would do. Unless…"
"She's planning something," Danny finished, as he saw that Hatsume was giggling.
Present Mic narrated, "Well, if everyone's on the same page, let's begin the fourth match!"
The crowd cheered as Tenya charged at Hatsume, who smirked, "Bet you love how fast that gear makes you! Huh, Iida?" She said this into a mic she had on her ear.
"She's got a mic?" Iida asked himself. Present Mic and Aizawa were asking the same thing.
Hatsume continued, "Don't your legs feel lighter than usual? That's to be expected. I designed those leg parts specifically to increase the wearer's speed and mobility. But of course…." She activated a device on herself that released two metal poles that propelled her into the air, and Tenya tripped on them. "I can easily evade you with my hydraulic attachments!"
She used her Quirk, Zoom, to see that people from support companies were watching, "Those boxes are for support companies. They love my babies! I've got this in the bag!"
Tenya charged at her again, but her equipment detected him and helped her dodge, "Since I've got sensors in every direction, it's impossible for an opponent to sneak up on me!"
Tenya tripped again over her equipment, but got up and charged at her again, "What the heck is going on?"
Hatsume continued, "Look at how adeptly Iida just changed his course! It's all thanks to the ingenious auto-balancer I created!"
"This is weird," Present Mic narrated.
Aizawa added, "She's turning the festival into one big commercial."
Hatsume continued, "There's absolutely no lag time! The auto-balancer is equipped with a custom 32-axis gyro sensor! As you can see, it can keep the user from falling unless they actually want to."
Tenya was getting annoyed, "I thought you said you wanted this to be a fair fight!"
He charged at Hatsume again, but her jet boots activated and she flew through the air, "That's right, I'm practically flying through the air! These electro shoes use electromagnetic induction on both feet. They're perfect for evasive maneuvers or just keeping things light!"
Tenya activated his engines, "As soon as she lands, I'll stop her!" But Hatsume shot a net at him, tying him to the ground, "Huh? What is this?"
"A capture gun to use against villains!" Hatsume answered. "The nets are loaded into small cartridges. You can fire up to five before having to reload! And all of these items were developed by yours truly, Mei Hatsume, support course prodigy! So, to any support companies out there looking for strong new recruits, the choice is clear! You want me!"
The support companies watching were impressed.
Hatsume continued, "And now, let me introduce you to a few more of my babies."
She showed off more of her designs for 10 more minutes, then walked out of the boundary, "Whew! That was fun, but I think now I've shown off everything I wanted to. I suppose it's time to wrap this show up."
Midnight announced, "Uh, Hatsume stepped out of bounds, so Iida advances to the next round!"
Tenya was pissed, "I can't believe you tricked me!"
Hatsume shrugged, "Sorry about that. I needed to use you to make a name for myself."
"I looked like a fool!" Tenya cried.
Izuku commented, "Iida's so sincere, he trusted her motives. She probably made it sound like she was doing him a favor." He started writing in his notebook, "She's so driven, straightforward about her goals. And from what I can tell, she'll pretty much do whatever it takes to reach them. Amazing."
Izuku didn't notice that Ochaco got up and walked away, toward the room where contestants can get ready for their matches.
Momo stood up, "I should probably go and mentally prepare for my match."
"Good luck," Danny told her. Momo nodded her thanks and walked away.
Present Mic narrated, "We're gonna charge right along to the fifth match. Let's hope that gaudy belt serves some kinda purpose. It's Yuga Aoyama from the hero course!"
Aoyama showed off his charm, "Bonjour."
Present Mic narrated, "Versus, is there some kinda purpose for those things sticking out of her head? From the same class, Mina Ashido!"
Mina chuckled, "This match is gonna be a piece of cake!"
Aoyama replied, "I do believe you're going to be eating those words, mademoiselle."
Tsuyu cheered, "Come on, Mina. You can do it!"
Izuku noted, "A match between Aoyama and Ashido. Let's see. Considering what their powers are, Aoyama will probably keep his distance and try to attack with his laser from far away. So it'll all depend on whether or not Ashido can dodge his attacks and manage to use her power against him in close combat. Problem is, there's nothing much for her to use as cover in this ring. So she's at a slight disadvantage."
Danny looked over, "You really take this so seriously. Let's just watch the match and see what happens."
Present Mic narrated, "Now let's get started! Fifth match, begin!"
"Naval laser, activate!" Yuga shouted as he activated his Quirk and shot his laser toward Mina.
But Mina jumped out of the way and started to skate using her acid, "Think again! We were on the same team for combat training, so I know all about your Quirk, Aoyama."
Yuga kept firing at her, "I could say the same thing about you."
Mina replied, "Sure, but there's a big difference. I remember something you said. I know your weakness."
She kept dodging Yuga's shots at her. So he said, "Here's a big one!" He shot a powerful blast at her, but Mina dodged and skated toward Yuga, who muttered, "Ow. My tummy."
Mina smirked, "There's my shot!" She shot some of her acid at Yuga, hitting his belt and melting some of it.
"Oh, no!" Yuga shouted. "Not my precious belt! My pants!" His pants dropped down and he desperately tried to cover himself.
Mina charged in, "And for my finishing move, an uppercut!" She punched him right in the jaw, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.
Midnight announced, "Aoyama has fainted! The winner of the match is Ashido!"
"Dang!" Present Mic narrated, "Aoyama went down hard! That's an indisputable victory if I've ever seen one, sports fans!"
"Wow," Tsuyu commented. "Mina is amazing."
Izuku wrote in his notebook, "The match unfolded like I thought it would, but I definitely underestimated Ashido. Although, now that I think about it, she did place tenth outta the class in that Quirk assessment test. She has a great power, but she won because of her physical strength."
Present Mic narrated, "Now, let's not let this hot streak cool. Time to move onto the sixth match! Offense and defense in one! The dark samurai and his darker shadow! From the hero course, Fumikage Tokoyami! Versus the great creator! She was admitted because of recommendations and I think we can all see why. Also from Class 1-A, Momo Yaoyorozu!"
Oijiro asked Izuku, "How do you think this one will end? Any clue?"
Izuku answered, "Timing is going to be the key thing here."
Danny shouted, "Do your best, Momo, Tokoyami. We're all cheering you on!"
Momo smiled up at Danny, then focused back on Tokoyami, "Present Mic's description of Tokoyami was accurate. With Dark Shadow, he's skilled at both attacking and defending. He can also call upon the creature instantaneously, so there's little doubt that he'll start the match with a preemptive strike. If I can make a simple shield, I can block him. But I'll have to be fast about it, or else this fight will be over in a matter of seconds. Just like that. Then, if I have enough time to make….."
But Present Mic shouted, "Sixth match, begin!"
Tokoyami shouted, "Go, Dark Shadow!"
"I've got her!" Dark Shadow shouted as he charged at Momo.
Momo quickly made a shield to block Dark Shadow. She tried to make something to attack, but Dark Shadow kept up attacking her, so she couldn't focus on her Quirk. Dark Shadow hit her shield so hard, it fell off. So she made another one, but then he stopped attacking. She quickly made a spear.
But Midnight announced, "Yaoyorozu. You're out. This match goes to Tokoyami!"
Tokoyami called Dark Shadow back to him and then bowed to Momo.
Momo stood there shocked.
Present Mic narrated, "Yikes! Another fast, overwhelming victory! Is it possible that Tokoyami's Dark Shadow is the greatest Quirk ever? I think so!"
Tokoyami walked off the field while Momo muttered, "I lost. I didn't even do anything."
Danny noticed Momo's sad expression and felt sorry for her. "She definitely needs some encouragement."
Izuku noted, "Tokoyami is way too powerful. I can't believe he forced her out of bounds by focusing his attacks on her shield. He obviously had a strategy worked out."
"Yeah, I guess so." Oijiro agreed. "I guess he didn't wanna hurt her. I bet she's really upset about how that went down. I feel bad for her."
Danny turned intangible and sunk through his seat and floated down toward the tunnel where Momo was walking through. Her head was down and she looked depressed. Danny made himself visible, "You did good out there."
Momo was startled by Danny's sudden appearance, then sighed, "I barely did anything."
Danny shook his head, "You defended yourself. Sometimes in a real fight, that's all you can do. Sometimes you learn more from your losses rather than your wins. You still have the potential to become a great hero."
Momo smiled and leaned up and kissed Danny on the cheek, "Thank you."
Danny blushed along with Momo.
Izuku looked over and saw that Danny was gone. He looked over to where Ochaco was sitting and noticed she was gone too.
Present Mic announced, "OK, let's see who we've got for you next. The seventh matchup includes two completely redundant Quirks! One of them's a passionate, manly fighter made of steel. The hero course's Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu!"
"Bring it!" Tetsutetsu shouted.
"Versus," Present Mic announced, "A passionate, manly fighter made of rock. The hero course's Eijiro Kirishima!"
Kirishima muttered, "Seriously, even our intros are the same?"
Kendo shouted, "Make us proud, Tetsutetsu! Win for us!"
Present Mic narrated, "Can't wait to see how this one ends. Begin!"
Kirishima and Tetsutetsu activated their Quirks and charged in at each other, ready for a fight.
Meanwhile, Tenya returned to the ready room where Ochaco said, "Hey, Iida, you did great out there."
Tenya looked up and said, "Oh, hey Uraraka, what's with that face?"
Ochaco had a serious game face, "Oh, it's nothing. I guess I'm not great at hiding how nervous I am."
Tenya replied, "I get that. You are up against Bakugo, after all. Not exactly an easy match."
Ochaco sighed, "Yeah, I'm kinda scared. But, you know, after seeing your match, I feel a little better."
Tenya asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Izuku entered the room. Ochaco was surprised, "Deku. Why aren't you out there watching the matches?"
Izuku answered, "Well, most of them ended how I expected them to. And it's looking like Kirishima's fight's going to drag on for quite a while."
Which was true, as they were evenly matched, just punching away at each other.
Ochaco sighed, "I'm next. So this is it. My fight."
"It'll be OK," Tenya reassured her. "I don't think Bakugo would use his full power of his explosions on a girl, right?"
Izuku shook his head, "Yeah, he would. And besides, everyone is trying to get the top spot in these games. Even if she wasn't fighting Kacchan, I don't think anyone would hold back. You've helped me so much. It's my turn to help you. Maybe I can repay you a little bit with this. I've got a plan of how you can use your Quirk against Kacchan. It's not much, but I did my best."
Ochaco smiled, "Thank you so much for doing that. But no, sorry. You're wonderful, Deku. I keep seeing that over and over again. During the cavalry battle, I told you it was good to team up with friends. But now that I think about it, I might've been trying to rely on you to get by. That's why when Iida said that he was trying his best to beat you, I actually kind of embarrassed for myself. So it's fine, really. Everyone's facing their future and giving this their best. That means we're all rivals. Even you and me, Deku. So I guess I'll see you in the finals."
She walked out of the room and she saw Danny and Momo walking toward her.
"Hey," Danny said. "Good luck in your match."
"Thank you," Ochaco said. "Oh, Momo, I heard about your match. I'm sorry that you lost. But I'll win this for you."
Momo smiled, "Thank you. Win this for us."
Out on the field, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu kept punching each other until they both fell down unconscious.
Present Mic announced, "Wow, that hurt me and all I'm doing is watching these guys. Is it over? The hardheads look like they're KO'd! But who is the winner?"
Midnight shouted, "They're both down! It's a draw! When the contestants recover from this battle, the winner will be determined by a simple contest. Perhaps arm wrestling."
Present Mic announced, "While we wait for Tetsutetsu and Kirishima to recover, we'll move onto the next battle."
The crowd cheered.
Tsuyu commented, "Ribbit. This might be the most disturbing matchup."
"I know," Jiro agreed. "I almost don't wanna watch it."
Izuku, Danny, Tenya, and Momo returned to the booth and saw Ochaco walk out onto the field.
Izuku said, "Do your best. You've got this."
Ochaco and Bakugo walked into the battle arena.
Present Mic narrated, "The eighth and final match in the first round of matches. He was kind of a hot head in middle school, and just look at that determined face. From the hero course, Katsuki Bakugo. Versus, the one I'm personally rooting for, also from Class 1-A, Ochaco Uraraka!"
Ochaco took a deep breath and stared at Bakugo, who was staring back at her.
Present Mic shouted, "Let the eighth match begin!"
Chapter 9: Bakugo vs Uraraka
Bakugo glared at Ochaco, "You're the one who screws around with gravity. Right, Pink Cheeks?"
Ochaco was offended by that.
Bakugo continued, "Well, if you're gonna give up, do it now. 'Cause I'm not gonna hold anything back."
Up in the stands, Tenya asked, "Midoriya, I'm curious. What was the strategy you came up with that would give Uraraka an advantage against Bakugo?"
Izuku sighed, "Honestly, it wasn't really much of a plan. Kacchan's so strong. When it comes to close combat, he almost never has any openings. And the more he moves, the more he sweats, which just makes his Quirk so powerful. He's gotten really good at using his explosions to move around in the air. But, if Uraraka is able to touch him, she can use her Quirk to make him float. She could send him out of bounds. That's why, it's obvious what Uraraka needs to do to get the upper hand."
"Also," Danny added. "Bakugo has an ego the size of Montana. He's letting his power go to his head. So she could either not inflate his ego or she could provoke him to which he would get so angry that he might start making mistakes. His ego is his biggest weakness."
The match started and Ochaco charged in at Bakugo, "Giving up isn't an option for me."
Class 1-A cheered for Ochaco. Izuku was hoping that she would get the first strike, but Danny warned, "This won't be easy. Bakugo can either dodge, or counterattack. Knowing him, he'll counterattack."
Bakugo said, "And now you'll die." As Ochaco charged at him, he waved his right hand in an uppercut motion and an explosion stopped Ochaco in her tracks.
Class 1-A was horrified. Tsuyu commented, "Ugh, looks like Bakugo's not planning on showing her any mercy."
"Because he's treating this like any other fight," Danny added.
Down on the field, Ochaco said, "Stupid. Saw it coming and I still couldn't get out of the way."
Bakugo replied, "You should have dropped out of the match. There's no way you can beat me!" He saw movement and attacked again, but it was just her jacket. She moved behind him.
"Whoa!" Present Mic narrated. "She flew her jacket over as a decoy! What incredibly quick thinking!"
Ochaco tried to touch Bakugo's back, but he saw her and attacked her, knocking her back.
Sero commented, "Look at that reaction time!"
Kaminari added, "Seriously, the dude's insane. You can't get the drop on him. And since Uraraka can't use her Quirk unless she touches him, his lightning fast reflexes put her at a huge disadvantage!"
Danny stared down at Bakugo, "He just wants to win so badly. He's definitely someone who always aims for the top."
"Too slow!" Bakugo shouted as he attacked Ochaco again as she tried to charge at him.
But she dodged and charged at his back, "I got you!" But Bakugo again saw her and attacked her.
It was rinse and repeat, Ochaco charged, Bakugo attacked, Ochaco got up.
It was hard to watch for everyone in Class 1-A. But Danny was focused on something else happening in the fight. He smirked as he figured something out.
Present Mic narrated, "Looks like she's not resting between attacks despite being exploded. Poor girl."
Several people in the audience were not happy about Bakugo's actions. Some called him a bully. Some shouted to just send Ochaco out of bounds. Soon enough, the crowd started to boo.
Present Mic narrated, "The crowd is now booing Bakugo! And honestly, I kind of agree with what they're saying…." Suddenly, Aizawa hit Present Mic with his bandaged elbow. "Hey, what the crap?"
Aizawa asked into the mic, "Where is the man who started this uproar? Are you a pro? Because if you're being serious, you can go home and hang up your cape. I'd suggest looking into another career."
Danny chuckled, "What a teacher thing to do."
Izuku asked, "You know what he's talking about?"
Danny replied, "I think Teach is about to explain for you right now."
Aizawa commented, "Bakugo's fierceness is an acknowledgement of his opponent's strength. He knows she deserves to have made it this far, so he's making sure he does whatever it takes to keep her at bay and come out on top."
Bakugo stared at Ochaco, who was taking deep breaths. He growled, "We're not finished yet. She's still standing. She's not dead yet."
Ochaco then said, "I think it's about time. Thank you, Bakugo, for keeping your eyes focused on me."
Bakugo was confused, "What?"
Danny said, "Also, look down at the field. Bakugo didn't notice, like people in the audience didn't notice. She kept low to the ground as she moved, which meant Bakugo's blasts tore up the floor of the ring, creating weapons for her. And then she kept him focused on her by attacking relentlessly, without rest. Rendering him oblivious. Now, if you all would kindly look to the sky, you'll see what she is planning."
He pointed up, and everyone saw debris floating. Ochaco released them, and they all came crashing down.
"A meteor shower!" Present Mic narrated.
Aizawa chuckled, "Now you notice."
Izuku realized, "Hey, she had a plan all along!"
Ochaco started to charge at Bakugo, "With this much debris, whether he's evading or counterattacking, there will definitely be an opening! In that moment, I'll finally get close to him. This is my shot! I'll win and be just like Deku!"
But then Bakugo held his hand upward and created a powerful explosion that not only destroyed the debris, but knocked Ochaco away several feet to the ground.
Danny sighed, "Damn it."
Bakugo chuckled, "I figured you'd have some sort of stupid plan to beat me. You are friends with that damn nerd, after all."
Ochaco was horrified, "It took him one shot."
Present Mic narrated, "Bakugo bangs out a huge demonstration of power! He blasted Uraraka's finishing move and remains untouched!"
Bakugo sighed, "That was close."
Ochaco struggled to stand, and Bakugo grinned, "All right, then. Time for us to get serious." He charged in at her.
Ochaco tried to keep going, but she fell down to the ground. Bakugo stopped right in his tracks.
"Uraraka is down!" Present Mic shouted. Ochaco tried to get back up, but her body couldn't move very well.
"It's too much," Tenya said.
Izuku added, "Yeah. She's way past her limit."
"But her determination and willingness to keep fighting is trying to override her physical demands," Danny commented. "That's part of being a true hero. She has that potential."
Ochaco struggled to move, "I can do this. I can still fight. I can! I'll become a hero."
Midnight rushed out to the field and made sure Bakugo didn't charge at her. She made her decision, "Uraraka is KO'd. Bakugo advances to the next round."
The crowd cheered as robots came onto the field and put Ochaco onto a stretcher.
"Take her to Recovery Girl," Midnight ordered. The robots carried Ochaco away. Bakugo turned and walked out of the arena.
Present Mic announced, "And that's it for the first round. I was really pulling for her. Oh well, I guess Bakugo's moving on."
Aizawa looked over at Present Mic, "You're supposed to be unbiased, you know."
Present Mic announced, "Let's try to forget that depressing outcome. With that, the first round is complete. We're taking a quick break and then we're back to more matches!"
Izuku got up from his seat, "I'm heading down to get prepared for my match."
"Do you want us to come with you?" Danny asked.
Izuku shook his head, "No. I need to get focused. Thanks, though."
He walked out of the box and to the ready room. "I'm so sorry, Uraraka."
He nearly bumped into Katsuki, and stuttered, "Hey, Kacchan!"
Katsuki growled, "What the hell are you doing here?"
Izuku replied, "Oh, well, I'm up next, so, you know. I was gonna hang in the waiting room. Um, also congrats on winning your match. See you around."
He tried to walk away, but Bakugo asked, "It was your idea, wasn't it? That stupid, desperate plan of hers. You would come up with something that annoying. If we end up…"
"You're wrong," Izuku interrupted. "That plan. Uraraka came up with it on her own, I didn't know anything about it. If that battle was harder than you thought it would be, then it's because of her strategy, not mine."
Bakugo growled and walked away to the 1-A box.
Sero greeted, "Hey, Bakugo! Playing the villain, huh? Must have been tough."
Tsuyu commented, "Even if it was because of who you were up against, you did make a pretty convincing bad guy."
Bakugo growled, "Shut up you idiots! Or else!"
"For real, dude," Kaminari added. "I don't know how you were able to aim a powerful blast at a frail girl like that."
Katsuki huffed, "I definitely wouldn't call that girl frail."
Danny smirked, "So you do have some respect for your fellow classmates."
Bakugo growled, "Shut it, Fenton!"
Meanwhile, Izuku went into the ready room and was surprised to see Ochaco there, who said, "Man, I lost. Too bad. Guess I got a little carried away at the end thinking I had it in the bag. Dang it!"
Izuku walked up to her, "You seem fine. But weren't you injured?"
Ochaco replied, "Yeah, Recovery Girl took care of me. She was really careful not to drain my stamina too much, though. So, I've still got a few scrapes and scratches. Jeez, I didn't realize how powerful that Bakugo was! He wiped the ring with me. Now I realize how much more training I have to do!"
Izuku was confused, "You sure you're good?"
Ochaco nodded, "Oh, yeah, totally. I'm better than I expected. Even if you've lost, you always keep looking ahead of what's next, Deku. This just means I have to work harder now."
They heard Present Mic announce, "We're finally about to learn who the true winner of the seventh match is! Kirishima or Tetsutetsu! Whoever will prevail in this arm wrestling match will advance to the second round! Let's go!"
Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were going at it in the arm wrestling match, but Kirishima got the upper hand and threw Tetsutetsu's arm down.
Midnight announced, "Kirishima is the winner! Add him to the bracket."
Kirishima shouted in victory.
Present Mic announced, "Kirishima earns a spot in the second round!"
Tetsutetsu sighed, "Ah, damn my metal deficiency! I should have eaten more iron this morning!"
Kirishima held his hand out to Tetsutetsu, "Hey, man. You put up a good fight."
Tetsutetsu took his hand and they shaked. Midnight blushed, "Oh! So chivalrous!"
Present Mic announced, "Now we've got a full roster for the next round of the tournament. Let's get the party started now, ya dig?"
Izuku sighed, "Already? Later, Uraraka."
He turned to leave, but Ochaco said, "Oh, I'm sorry, Deku. You weren't able to prepare since I was here!"
Izuku shook his head, "Nah. This was perfect."
Ochaco replied, "I'll be watching. Good luck out there."
Izuku smiled, "Thanks." He then walked out of the room.
Ochaco pulled out her phone and saw that she had a missed call. She called back, "Sorry for not picking up earlier, Daddy."
Her father replied, "No, no, it's fine. Sorry for calling when you're busy. Your mom and I watched you on TV. You almost won! You were amazing."
Ochaco sighed, "It wasn't that close. And I wasn't very good. I rushed it too much at the end. I didn't have a backup plan for what I'd do if that big move didn't work out. I failed."
"You lost," her father replied. "But that doesn't mean you can't still be a pro hero. I know I don't have the best understanding of how this all works, but you always have next year, right? This isn't the end."
Ochaco said, "I know, but I wish I could have gone further in the festival so I would have had more chances to show what I'm made of. The scouts barely saw me do anything this time around."
Her father asked, "What're you in such a hurry for, huh?"
Ochaco answered, "It's just I want to help you guys as soon as I can." She started to tear up.
Her father said, "Ochaco, there's no need for you to rush. The very fact that you feel that way shows me that you'll make a kind, caring hero one day. I am so proud of you."
Ochaco cried as her father comforted her over the phone.
Izuku felt bad as he was walking to the arena as he wanted to help Ochaco, but couldn't. Instead she was cheering him on. Suddenly Endeavor appeared in his path.
Izuku cried, "Endeavor?"
Endeavor turned to Izuku, "Ah, I was looking for you."
Izuku asked, "So, uh, what are you doing back here?"
Endeavor answered, "I watched your fight against that brainwashing guy. Your power is pretty impressive. To create so much wind pressure just by flicking your fingers. It reminds me of another Quirk. You seem to have much in common with All Might."
Izuku mumbled, "I guess I never thought about it that way. Sorry, but I should get going."
He walked past him, wondering if Endeavor knows about One For All, but realized he probably doesn't and shouldn't.
Endeavor said, "It's my Shoto's duty to surpass All Might as the number one hero. And his match with you will be a good testing ground for how much training he has left. So hit him hard. Don't disgrace yourself or him by holding back. That's all I wanted to say. I apologize for bothering you."
Izuku replied, "Endeavor. I am not All Might."
Endeavor was confused, "What are you talking about?"
Izuku continued, "And the same goes for Todoroki. He may be your son, but he isn't you." He turned and walked away. Both he and Shoto made their way to the arena from different points.
Ochaco arrived back at the 1-A box, "So the match hasn't started yet? Oh good."
Tenya was startled by her puffy eyes, "Something horrible happened to your eyes. You need to go see Recovery Girl/"
Ochaco sat down, "I already did. This is from something else."
Danny smiled at her, "You did good in your match. That strategy of yours was good. Now you can learn from your losses."
Tenya said, "Hey, that's not a kind thing to say. She has a right to be frustrated."
Momo said, "I lost too. And Danny is giving good advice. We both can learn from our losses."
Tokoyami added, "It's no time to wallow. Use this next fight as a source of encouragement."
Tenya gulped, "So wise."
The crowd cheered as Present Mic announced, "I can feel the anticipation in the stadium! And that's because the second round's first match is gonna be epic! It's the guy who won his last fight by a landslide and literally left half the audience frozen. The hero course's Shoto Todoroki! And this kid almost walked out of his first matchup, but made a stunning comeback by showing off impressive moves! Also from the hero course, Izuku Midoriya!"
Izuku and Shoto walked into the battle arena, staring each other down. Shoto said, "So here we are."
"And only one of us can win," Izuku replied.
Tenya looked over at Tokoyami, "How do you think this match will go?"
Tokoyami answered, "It depends on whether or not Midoriya is able to get close to him."
"Yeah," Ochaco added. "That's the problem. How will Deku avoid the ice?"
Danny said, "He has to control his Quirk in a way so he can dodge the ice attacks and get close to Shoto. That is the key."
Elsewhere, Tomura Shigaraki was watching the upcoming match and heard his master say, "Pay close attention to them, Tomura Shigaraki. These two could prove to be formidable obstacles one day."
Tomura scoffed, "Ha. I'm not worried about these two kids. It's the one in the next match I'm worried about."
Izuku's mom was crying for her baby.
Everyone was waiting in anticipation for the match to start.
Up in the teacher's box, Thirteen looked over at All Might, "Those two students tried to save you at the USJ, didn't they? Along with Fenton."
All Might nodded, "Yeah. They may have more in common than they realize. They both have such an intense vibe about them."
Present Mic narrated, "Both the heroes in training have been frontrunners in the sports festival! But which one of these rivals will advance to the next round? Prepare for Midoriya vs. Todoroki!"
Chapter 10: Shoto Todoroki: Origin
Izuku and Shoto were still staring at each other, waiting for their match to begin. Izuku predicts that Shoto will start with an ice attack, while Shoto knew that he couldn't allow Izuku to use his power too much.
"Begin!" Present Mic shouted.
Shoto immediately sent out an ice attack, but Izuku used One For All in one of his fingers and shouted, "Smash!" as he flicked that powered up finger to create a huge wind storm that destroyed the ice and blew the wind past Shoto, the crowd in the stadium feeling the cold mixed into the wind. Shoto had predicted this so he created an ice wall behind himself so he wouldn't be blown away. He also noticed that the finger Izuku used was broken.
Present Mic narrated, "Wow! Midoriya managed to break Todoroki's insane opening move!"
All Might thought, "He had no way of knowing how powerful Young Todoroki's attack was going to be, so he abandoned restraint and fired off a shot at 100%. It's true that this was likely the only thing he could do against that ice barrage. However…."
Shoto sent out another ice attack, and Izuku used another finger to smash through the ice wall.
Present Mic narrated, "He countered again!"
Izuku stood there holding his hand in pain, "I don't know much about Todoroki's fighting style. His attacks are so fast that it's hard to collect data on him. So, during this fight, I need to focus on finding an opening somewhere. The ice behind him is probably how he plans to keep being blown out of bounds by my smashes. Which means I was right to break my fingers. If I'd spent my whole arm on a full powered smash and the ice held up, I'd be doomed. I can figure this out. Come on. Find a weak spot. I've only got six more chances."
Shoto started to walk towards Izuku, "Let's continue."
He sent out another ice attack and Izuku countered again, breaking another finger.
Danny was starting to get worried, "He can't risk breaking all of his fingers. I hope he can come up with a plan."
Kirishima arrived in the 1-A box, "Oh, crap. I'm missing it!"
Kaminari commented, "Hey, nice job making it to the second round, Kirishima."
Kirishima smiled, "Thanks, man. Looks like I take down Bakugo next."
"I'll kill you," Bakugo replied.
Kirishima smiled, "Heh. Yeah, sure. In your dreams. No, but seriously. It's crazy how you and Todoroki both have moves that blast the whole stadium! Must be pretty nice."
Sero added, "Plus, you don't have to pause in between attacks."
Bakugo replied, "It's not as easy as you think, ya morons. If you overuse your muscles, you risk tearing them apart. If you sprint too much, you run out of breath. Quirks are physical abilities, too. They can get worn out. You can't just use them nonstop."
Kirishima said, "It makes sense when you put it that way. I wonder if that's how Midoriya thinks he's gonna beat Todoroki."
"Endurance," Danny said, startling the group. "If you want to master your Quirk, you need endurance. That's what Bakugo is saying. Surprised he knew that."
Bakugo growled, "I do know things, Fenton. I'm just not a nerd like Deku out there!"
Kirishima looked at Danny, "Actually, Fenton, you have moves that can blast the whole stadium, too, but you seem to have more control. You used ice on that vine haired chick but kept it contained. And you nearly blasted Kaminari to kingdom come…."
"Hey!" Kaminari argued. "He didn't kill me, like Bakugo would have…."
Kirishima continued, "All I'm saying is that Fenton has mastered his Quirk better than any of us. Which means he's the one to beat."
Danny shrugged, "If that's what you think. But you do have to take out Bakugo at least if you want a chance against me."
Bakugo growled, "Shut it, Fenton! I'm going to be the one going to the finals. And I will beat you."
Momo whispered, "Stop provoking him. It's not worth it."
Danny smirked, "He's fine. Now, I want to see how this match will go."
Shoto stared at Izuku, "You want an endurance match. But I'll end this quickly."
He sent another ice attack, but Izuku countered yet again, breaking his last usable finger on his right hand. Shoto then charged at Izuku.
Present Mic narrated, "Todoroki withstood Midoriya's power and is now rushing to his classmate!"
Izuku dodged out of the way when Shoto tried to punch him, and then Shoto sent more ice at Izuku, leaving him no choice but to use his entire left arm to counter, sending a more powerful wind attack. But Shoto was still standing.
He looked up at Izuku, "That was much more powerful than any of your previous attacks. You're trying to keep me away. Smart."
Izuku was starting to panic, as Shoto was becoming too much to handle.
Shoto smirked, "What's the matter? Are you really that worn out from defending against my attacks?"
Izuku looked up and noticed that he was shaking and his right side was showing signs of frostbite. "Is he reaching some kind of limit? I've got to keep fighting."
Shoto said, "I'm sorry about this, but thanks for drawing it out. Look at him. He's furious I'm not using his power. With your hands like that, you can't fight anymore, can you? Why don't we end this?"
He sent another ice attack at Izuku.
Present Mic narrated, "Whoa! Todoroki continues his overwhelming attacks! Could this be his finishing move?"
But Izuku shouted, "I am not done yet!" He surprised everyone by countering the attack and sending Shoto almost out of bounds.
Shoto realized, "Damn it. With your broken finger? Why are you going this far?"
Izuku replied, "You're trembling, Todoroki. It's easy to forget that Quirks are physical abilities, and that means there's a limit to the cold your body can take, right? I get it. Usually, you make up for the drop in temperature by using the heat from your left side. But you refuse to do that now. Listen. We're all giving it our all to try and win. To make our dreams into a reality. To become number one! You think you can win with half your strength? Look at me, Todoroki. You haven't managed to put a single scratch on me yet. So come at me with all you've got!"
Danny muttered, "He's willing to risk himself just to win. Dangerous, but sometimes that's what a true hero does. Just don't overdo it, Izuku."
Shoto glared at Izuku, "Midoriya, what are you trying to do here? You want my fire? What, did my monster of a dad bribe you or something? Now I'm mad!"
He charged full speed at Izuku, but Izuku noticed his movements were slower. Danny and Bakugo noticed as well, realizing that the frost on Shoto's body might be the reason why.
Shoto thought, "In close quarters, there's no way he'll be able to dodge me." But then Izuku started to move. "The instant I lifted my right foot….He's coming!"
Izuku muttered, "Imagine the egg in the microwave. It won't explode. I've got this."
He charged his right arm with One For All and landed a punch on Shoto.
Present Mic narrated, "A solid punch! That's the kind of action I like to see!"
Shoto had managed to coat Izuku's left arm in ice as he was hit. As he stood up, he launched another ice attack, but Izuku was able to dodge it as it was slower. Soon he and Shoto were going at it, attacking, dodging, and repeating.
Cementoss, who was the referee, said into an earpiece, "Should I step in, Midnight? Midoriya knows that Recovery Girl will heal his wounds after the match, so he's being reckless and hurting himself. He's full of adrenaline. He probably doesn't even realize how much pain he's in. But those injuries are bad. They probably can't be healed in one go. Even if he wins, he might not be able to fight in the next match. He's sacrificing himself. At this rate, he might end up with permanent damage."
Aizawa commented to himself, "His power has lessened, but he's gained some control. It's not that he's fighting recklessly. He's just doing everything he can to win the match within his current skill level. But, man. Even if it can be healed, to go through such intense pain and still be putting up a fight requires an absurd amount of resolve. What's driving him? Why's he so intent?"
All Might knew the answer, as he knew Izuku wanted to be like him. Danny knew this too, but he had to hold himself down as his nature to save others was trying to take control. He gripped his seat so hard that it almost broke. Momo noticed this and put a hand on Danny's arm to help calm him down.
Tenya also noticed this and whispered, "It will be alright, Fenton. Midoriya is strong."
Shoto and Izuku were taking deep breaths, trying to regain their strength. Izuku's fingers were beyond broken.
Shoto asked, "Why are you putting yourself through this?"
Izuku answered, "I wanna live up to people's expectations. I wanna be able to smile while doing something good for them. I wanna be a pro! Whatever it takes to be a hero!"
Shoto suddenly stopped in shock as he remembered his mother said something similar to him. Then he was punched by Izuku, who said, "That's why I'll give it my all just like you should be! There's no way I can know what you've gone through, or why you're even here. Your life has been so much different than mine, but right now, stop screwing around! If you wanna reject your father, fine, but you don't have the right to be number one if you aren't going to use your full power."
Shoto felt anger hit him. He remembered all of the training his father forced him to do, he trained so much it made him sick, his father trying to mold him into the hero who would beat All Might. His mother tried to stop his father from pushing him too hard, but his father would hit his mother in anger. How he would go crying to his mother about not wanting to be a bully like his father, but his mother telling him to be true to himself, and be his own hero. How he wanted to play with his older siblings, but his father forbad him. How eventually his mother eventually cracked one day and threw boiling water at his left eye, giving him the scar he now has. His father sent her away to a mental hospital after that.
Shoto tried to stand after Izuku had punched him again while he was remembering his past. "I will reject you. I refuse to use my left side."
Izuku shouted in frustration, "It's yours! Your Quirk, not his!"
Shoto suddenly remembered he and his mother once watched a TV spot where All Might was telling the audience that even though they may inherit Quirks from their parents, they can be their own kind of hero. His mother reiterated that. "I didn't realize how much I'd forgotten." He remembered his mother telling him that he was not a prisoner of his lineage. He could become whoever he wanted to be.
Suddenly his left side activated and fire started to spread around himself. Everyone in the audience was shocked.
Danny muttered, "That's what Izuku was doing. He wanted Shoto to use his full strength."
All Might was thinking something similar, "You made him use his father's power. Midoriya. Don't tell me you were trying to save Young Todoroki this whole time."
Shoto looked up at Izuku, "You're helping your opponent. You fool. Even though you wanna win this battle. Now which one of us is screwing around? I want it, too. I'll be a hero!"
In the stands, Endeavor shouted with joy, "Yes, Shoto! Have you finally accepted your purpose? That's it. Very good. This is the dawn of a new era for us. With my blood in your veins, you'll surpass me. You will live up to the reason I created you!"
Everyone in the audience heard what he said, and Present Mic narrated, "Endeavor suddenly shouts words of….encouragement? What a doting father."
Danny sighed, "Dude, he does have a scumbag of a father. Almost reminds of…him."
Momo looked over at Danny. She noticed the serious yet sad look in Danny's eyes. She also heard what he said. Maybe it had something to do with his past.
Izuku smiled, "Amazing."
Shoto asked, "Why are you smiling? With those injuries, in this hopeless situation, you must be crazy. Don't blame me for what happens next."
He charged up by his fire and ice, ready to strike. Izuku did the same with One For All.
Cementoss stood up and started to use his Quirk, Cement, to create a wall in between Izuku and Shoto, "That's it, Midnight. One of them could be killed."
Midnight started to activate her Quirk, Somnambulist, where her skin releases a gas that can knock people out, "His body won't hold up!"
Shoto sent out an ice attack that Izuku dodged. Midoriya went straight for Shoto, ready to hit him with his full power. Shoto charged up his left side, "I see now, Midoriya. Thank you."
Both students released their most powerful attack just as Cementoss finished with his cement wall. But their attacks blew through the wall and a huge wind storm was created in the stadium. Everyone was shocked. Danny held some of his classmates down from being blown away.
"What's happening down there?" Momo asked.
The storm settled and the dust was starting to clear. Cementoss stood up, "Having a great power doesn't mean you'll be a great hero. But those two are amazing."
Present Mic asked, "What happened just now? What the heck is up with your students?"
Aizawa commented, "The air around the ring had been thoroughly cooled down, and then rapidly expanded when heated up."
Present Mic asked, "Wait, that's what caused the explosion? How hot did that fire get? Jeez, I can't see a thing! Is the match still going on or what?"
The dust cleared and revealed that Izuku was blown clear out of bounds into the wall of the arena, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. Shoto was standing there with part of his shirt burnt off.
Midnight saw this, "There. Midoriya is out of bounds. Todoroki wins! He advances to the third round!"
The crowd cheered as Shoto stood there, trying to catch his breath. Danny looked down at Shoto, "Wow. I guess he's definitely won part of his war. And I'm his next target."
Chapter 11: Fight on, Iida
The crowd was still talking about the fight they just witnessed. Many people were talking about how powerful the two boys were, how Izuku constantly hurting himself won't help him become a hero, etc. Bakugo heard all of this and grunted in annoyance.
Shoto walked out of the arena into one of the tunnels. But he stopped as he saw his father standing there, "What's the matter? Not gonna tell me to get lost? You need to learn to control your left side. It's dangerous to release that much energy like that. But I'm glad you're finally seeing reason. Now that you've abandoned your childish rebellion, we can get back to what's important. After you graduate, you'll work by my side. I'll lead you down the path of the mighty, Shoto."
Shoto replied, "I haven't abandoned anything. You're a fool to think my feelings could be so easily reversed. Instead, out there, for that one moment, I forgot all about you. Whether that's good or bad, whether it's the right thing to do, I don't know. Maybe I don't need you." He walked past his father.
What the pair didn't know was that Danny had overheard. He had sent a duplicate as he had a feeling that Endeavor would do something like this after the match and was going to step in to help Shoto, but Shoto had it covered. "His dad better watch out. Or else he'll end up like that fruit loop. And that's bad." The duplicate then disappeared and returned to Danny, who was going with some of his classmates to see Izuku in the recovery room.
In the recovery room, All Might had come down to see Izuku. Recovery Girl said, "The bones in your right arm were shattered. I'm afraid it'll never be the same as it was before. I need to remove the bone fragments or they'll get stuck in your joints. I'll heal you afterward. All Might, you lit a fire under this child and pushed him too hard. Look at what he's done to make you proud. I don't like it one bit. You're going too far. You hear? You and the boy. Don't praise him for what he's done today."
All Might sighed, realizing that she was right.
Suddenly the door burst open and several of Izuku's classmates ran in. None of them, minus Danny, recognized All Might as he was in his normal form.
Ochaco said to All Might, "Oh, it's nice to meet you, sir." All Might nodded back. Danny held a hand over his mouth trying not to laugh.
Recovery Girl said, "He's in no state for visitors."
Izuku said, "Hey, guys. Shouldn't you be watching the matches? And Danny, shouldn't you and Iida be fighting right now?"
Tenya answered, "The stage was far too damaged. They're taking a quick break to repair it now."
Danny added, "Yeah, what he said. Plus, we wanted to see how you were doing. That was an intense match."
Momo said, "We're glad to see that you're OK at least."
Recovery Girl said, "You're much too noisy. I know you're worried, but I've got to focus on surgery now."
Izuku's classmates were horrified. Recovery Girl rushed them out, but Danny mouthed to All Might, "Look after him. Now I'll win this for him." as he and his classmates walked away.
Izuku looked up at All Might, "I'm sorry. I couldn't do what you asked of me. If I had shut up, not said anything, I might have been able to beat him. But I….."
All Might sighed, "You got Todoroki to realize something very important about himself."
Izuku grunted, "I guess so. In his first match, he looked so sad. I was trying to figure out why, when I should've been focused. I made a bigger mistake, though. Whenever we were fighting, I was just so frustrated. I couldn't see the bigger picture. Or what it would take to win. I'm sorry."
All Might replied, "It's true that the match didn't go how we wanted it to, and realizing where you went wrong won't change that. But listen. Meddling where you don't technically have to, is the essence of being a hero."
Izuku started to cry as Recovery Girl sighed. All Might added, "Plus, I think you ignited something in Young Fenton. Before he was just skating on by, not wanting to be seen. But now, I think he wants to win, for you."
Out in the arena, Danny and Tenya were in the ring, ready to start their fight. Tenya stared at Danny, "Just so you know, Fenton, I am going to give it my all. I know that we are co class reps, but right now we are enemies."
Danny smiled, "Rivals sounds better. And don't worry, I'll make sure that this is a fair fight, not like your battle with that Mei chick. I want you to show all these people what you're made of."
Tenya was shocked, but bowed, "Thank you, Fenton. I hope to make the Iida family proud during this fight. So I am going to take you down!"
"Begin!" Present Mic shouted.
Tenya started charging at Danny, but Danny simply dodged, without having to go intangible.
Tenya was shocked, "I thought he would phase through me, but he didn't. Why?"
Danny smirked, "Remember, I'm faster than you think." He transformed into Phantom and shot an ecto blast, but Tenya dodged it.
He sped up his engines trying to punch Phantom, but Phantom dodged and fired again at Tenya, who dodged.
They kept this up for a couple minutes, and the crowd was cheering them on.
Tenya realized, "He is fast. But I know that I am faster. Time for my ultimate move. Recipro Blast!"
He activated his final move, going his top speed right at Phantom, who barely dodged and got slightly hit on the chin. Phantom rubbed his chin, "That was close. But now it's time to finish this!"
He sent ice towards Tenya, who kept speeding away, but eventually his engines wore out and the ice caught up with him, encasing him up to his waist.
Phantom floated over to Tenya, "Can you move?"
Tenya tried to break through the ice, but couldn't, "No, and besides, my engines are fried right now."
Midnight announced, "Iida is incapacitated. The winner is Fenton. He will move onto the next round!"
The crowd cheered for both students, shouting that it was a good match.
Tenya looked defeated, "I didn't win. I failed my family."
Phantom melted the ice, "Dude, you did great. You got a hit on me. Plus, listen to the crowd. They loved you. You showed them what you are truly about. Good match." He held out his hand and Tenya took it, both boys shaking hands.
Phantom transformed back to normal and he walked out of the ring with Tenya. Class 1-A cheered for their classmates. They welcomed the two students back with open arms in their box.
The next match started, Tokoyami against Mina. Dark Shadow was immediately sent out, "I've got her!"
Mina tried to throw her acid at him, but Dark Shadow was faster and hit her head on, knocking her out of bounds.
Midnight announced, "Ashido is out of bounds! Tokoyami will advance!"
The crowd cheered for the two students.
Tsuyu commented, "Tokoyami's Dark Shadow is so amazing." She noticed a sad look on Ochaco's face, "What's wrong? You still worried about Midoriya?"
Ochaco nodded, "She said she had to perform surgery."
Danny said, "Recovery Girl will take good care of Izuku. You have nothing to worry about."
Momo added, "I agree. She's the best."
Over in the recovery room, Recovery Girl finished up with Izuku, "I've healed you enough that you should be able to walk. But be careful."
Izuku nodded, "Thank you very much, m'am." He looked down and noticed his hand wasn't the way it used to be.
Recovery Girl noticed this, "That's what you get for overusing your Quirk in a short amount of time. Consider your crooked right hand as a warning from now on. And just so you know, I will not heal injuries like this anymore. All Might, you must find a way for him to use his power. There has to be an option that's not so self-destructive."
Izuku and All Might left the recovery room and All Might started to guide Izuku back to the Class 1-A box. He said, "A new way to use your Quirk. Hmm."
But Izuku stopped and said, "Hey, All Might. Remember when you told me why you came to UA in the first place? To find a worthy successor for One For All?" All Might nodded and Izuku continued, "I put everything I had into the sports festival. But still, There were other competitors who fought for the victory harder than I did. So maybe…."
All Might figured out what Izuku was trying to tell him, "You're thinking it might be better for someone else to be my successor. Yes?"
Izuku sighed, "Yes."
All Might then said, "You speak the truth. This place is full of incredible potential heroes. One For All is a crystallization of power. It bolsters Quirks. For example, if Young Todoroki were to inherit it, the strength added to his own Quirk would probably make him an unbeatable hero. Or even Young Fenton, as he showed great potential the same day I met you. But you know, I was Quirkless, too, as a kid."
Izuku gasped, "Quirkless? Seriously?"
All Might nodded, "Back then, it wasn't as rare of a thing. But it was still out of the ordinary. Even though I didn't have a power of my own, I had someone who believed in my potential. My master gave me One For All and raised me to become a hero."
Izuku replied, "You never told me that!"
All Might chuckled, "It's not my fault you never asked. Which is honestly surprising."
Izuku said, "I just can't believe the number one hero was Quirkless."
All Might nodded, "It's true. When we first met, I saw a little of the old me in you. But, kid, you've gone beyond my expectations time and time again. One day you're gonna do incredible things with One For All. That's something I truly believe."
Izuku bowed his head, "I'll do my best."
All Might said, "Anyway, the sports festival isn't over yet. Get out there, you don't wanna miss the end. Especially since Young Fenton is still competing. And like I said, you lit a fire under him that now wants to win for you. So go support him."
Izuku nodded and ran off to the Class 1-A box. All Might then heard someone chuckle, "Aww, you do care."
All Might turned around and saw Danny standing behind him, "Young Fenton."
"Almost, I'm a duplicate," the duplicate said. "I was sent to see how Izuku was doing. Main me still had to fight his match against Tenya. He won, of course."
All Might sighed, "You are full of surprises, Young Fenton."
"Same for you," the duplicate replied. "Quirkless just like Izuku, who would have known? Now we all have something in common."
All Might was shocked, "Wait, you were born Quirkless too?"
The duplicate put a finger to his lips, "Spoilers. Maybe when main me trusts you and Izuku enough, he'll tell you his full story. But not today. Don't wanna ruin the mood of the sports festival. Although I am just a copy, I am still part of Danny, so what I can say is that that trust is starting to build. Just keep working on it." The duplicate then disappeared and went back to Danny, leaving All Might alone with his thoughts.
Meanwhile, Tenya had stepped away to try and phone his older brother, but he got his answering machine. Tenya sighed, "Oh, well. We'll talk soon, brother."
His older brother, the hero Ingenium, was tracking down the Hero Killer, having cornered him in an alley.
The fourth match of the second round was underway, with Bakugo fighting Kirishima. He countered a punch that Kirishima gave him, but Kirishima laughed, "Nice try! But that's not gonna work on me, Explosion Boy!"
Bakugo was trying to figure out a plan of how long Kirishima could keep his Hardening Quirk up.
Tetsutetsu shouted from the stands, "Kirishima! Go straight for the chin!"
His classmate, Honenuki, asked, "What, you're rooting for him now, man?"
Izuku arrived and saw what was going on, "Kirishima and Kacchan. So that would mean Danny, Iida, and Tokoyami finished their matches already. And it looks like Danny beat Iida and Tokoyami won his match. I wish I could have seen them fight!"
Bakugo was trying to dodge Kirishima's punches. Present Mic narrated, "Bakugo's having a heck of a time dodging Kirishima's fierce attacks!"
Izuku said, "Whoa, Kacchan's on the defensive? I guess Kirishima's Quirk seems simple on the surface, but it's still effective."
Tenya walked up behind him, "Midoriya. I take it that your surgery must have gone well. I'm glad!"
Izuku nodded, "Yeah. Thank you. And I'm sorry that you lost in this round."
Tenya replied, "It's OK. Fenton is a strong opponent. And it looks like he's up against Todoroki next. I watched your fight with him closely. I wanted to learn from it if I was the one going onto the second round. So now it's up to Fenton to see how he will do against Todoroki."
Izuku nodded, "Yeah. Hey, is Ingenium excited that you made it to this tournament? He must be proud of his little brother."
Tenya shrugged, "I'm not sure. I called him earlier, but he was working."
Izuku winced, "Oh, sorry."
Tenya smiled, "No. It's for the best. When we do talk, I'll tell him that I gave it my all."
Danny approached them, "I'm sure your big brother will be proud. That's the job of older siblings."
Izuku smiled, "Danny, congrats on your win. Oh, sorry, Iida."
Tenya shook his head, "It's fine, Midoriya. Fenton gave a fair fight and let me show what I am made of. I thank you, Fenton."
Danny shrugged, "It was no problem. You put up a fair fight, too."
Present Mic narrated, "Bakugo is countering again! But what's this? It seems to be working this time."
Bakugo realized, "You've been straining to keep your body rock hard this whole fight, right? But that means you're overusing your Quirk. And sooner or later, you'll fall apart!"
He sent blast after blast at Kirishima, who struggled to keep up. Bakugo then sent the final blow, "Die!" and Kirishima fell to the ground, unconscious.
Bakugo smirked, "There. Now I understand why you were trying to avoid a drawn out match with me."
Midnight announced, "Kirishima has been knocked out. Bakugo is the winner!"
The crowd cheered, minus Tetsutetsu, who shouted, "What are you doing, idiot? I thought you had more guts than that, Kirishima!"
Present Mic announced, "With that vicious carpet bombing, Bakugo advances to the third round! Ladies and gentlemen, our final four!"
Danny sighed, "Right. I'm off. I am Shoto's next target after all."
"Good luck," Izuku and Tenya shouted as Danny walked off.
Izuku and Tenya made their way back to the Class 1-A box. Tsuyu said, "Hi, Midoriya. It looks like your surgery went well."
Izuku nodded, "Yeah. Recovery Girl healed me up enough to walk."
He sat down next to Ochaco, who asked, "Sure, but shouldn't you be taking it easy?"
Izuku replied, "I wanna watch these matches in person. This is where everyone's efforts are finally gonna pay off. Plus, Danny cheered for me, now I want to do the same for him. He told me that he wants to win for me."
"He did?" Tenya asked. "I don't remember him saying that."
Izuku chuckled, "It's just what the messenger told me."
Ochaco and Tenya were confused, but Momo said, "Let's just focus on the match at hand. This should be an interesting fight.
Present Mic announced, "The first match of the semifinals! One comes from a hero family, and the other is a foreign exchange student. From the hero course, Shoto Todoroki, and also from the hero course, Danny Fenton!"
Danny stared at Shoto, "Do you remember our little wager?"
Shoto growled, "I do. And I will beat you, proving I am superior to you and have a worse life than you."
Danny chuckled, "We'll see about that. Are you just going to use your right side? Or have you warmed up to using your left side?"
Shoto growled, "Just because I was forced to use my left side in the last fight doesn't mean I have to rely on it to beat you. I am not what my father wants me to be."
Danny replied, "True. Your dad's showing signs of being a fruit loop anyway. Trust me, I've seen worse."
Shoto was confused by the term "fruit loop". But he suddenly heard Present Mic shout, "Begin!"
Shoto immediately sent ice out towards Danny, who quickly transformed into Phantom and went intangible.
Phantom chuckled, "Your ice attacks won't work on me. I'll just phase through them!" He sent an ecto blast at Shoto, who put up an ice wall to block it, and the blast destroyed the wall.
"Fenton's blasts are more powerful than I thought," Shoto muttered.
Phantom smirked, "Let's fight ice with ice." His eyes glowed icy blue as he sent his own ice attack at Shoto, who put up another wall, but Phantom's ice broke through it as Phantom put more energy into it and Shoto started to become encased in Phantom's ice, all the way up to his neck.
"I don't believe it!" Present Mic narrated. "Fenton gave Todotoki a taste of his own medicine. Can he get out of this?"
Phantom floated over to Shoto, "I've been watching you all day. When you send out your ice, once it's made, you no longer control it. My ice, however…." He demonstrated by tightening the icy hold over Shoto as the student tried to break free. He also created a snowball in his hand that then transformed into a crystal, "I can manipulate my ice. So unless you use your left side, you aren't getting out of this."
Shoto growled, "You're making me resort to using it again. Just like Midoriya."
Phantom smiled, "Because you are more than that fruit loop of a father you have. You may have powers like him, but you are NOT him. You may have a terrible backstory, but you can still have a bright future. Prove the previous generation wrong by being better than them. You don't have to surpass All Might. Be your own hero. Not what some rich crazy maniac wants you to do."
Shoto realized that the last statement was related to Fenton somehow. Maybe both Midoriya and Fenton had a point. He looked up to the stands and saw his father staring at him. Shoto closed his eyes and thought, "Forget about him. Be your own hero."
Phantom looked over and saw that Midnight was about to announce Todoroki was down, but Phantom raised his hand, "He's not out yet. Give him a second."
And Shoto activated his left side and started to melt Phantom's ice and sent a fire attack right at the ghost hero, who dodged. Phantom smirked, "There you go. Now let's fight!"
Shoto and Phantom charged in at each other. Shoto sent fire and ice attacks at Phantom, who dodged and sent ecto blasts at Shoto, who dodged them. They were evenly matched, even if Phantom was holding back a little.
Shoto asked, "Can you keep up?"
Phantom nodded, "Yes I can. Do you want this to drag out or should we end this quickly?"
Shoto said, "I'll end this quickly." He ran towards Phantom as fast as he could, ready to attack with ice first, then fire.
Phantom put both of his hands out and muttered, "Sorry about this, dude." And he sent a very powerful ecto blast at Shoto, who tried to block it with his ice, but the blast broke through the ice and hit Shoto right in the chest, sending him flying out of bounds, landing just outside the ring.
Midnight announced, "Todoroki is out of bounds. Fenton wins and will advance to the finals!"
The crowd cheered as Izuku whispered, "That fight was so epic. I have to take some notes."
Ochaco chuckled, "Your hands are bandaged up, remember?"
Momo smiled, "Both of them did a good job. No wonder they are at the top of the class."
Tenya looked down at his phone, his brother had not called back. "Oh, brother. What are you up to?"
Meanwhile, Ingenium was down on the ground in the alley that he found the Hero Killer in, severely wounded. The Hero Killer, Stain, said, "Fame, money, that's what all of you who call yourselves heroes are really after. But you bastards are not heroes. Except him. The only one who has permission to kill me. All Might is worthy."
Back at the stadium, Phantom transformed back to normal and walked over to Shoto and held out his hand, "Good match. You gave it your all. And you showed everyone who you really are."
Shoto looked down at Danny's hand, "I think….I don't fully know who I am. I thought I did by screwing over my old man, but maybe I need more time to figure myself out."
Danny chuckled, "You have all the time in the world. And you can still screw over your old man. From the sounds of it, he deserves it."
Shoto realized, "You listened in on our conversation, didn't you?"
Danny shrugged, "Guilty as charged. I was worried about you and wanted to find you, but I found you talking to your dad. He definitely has the makings of a fruit loop."
Shoto asked, "What does that mean? Fruit loop?"
Danny chuckled, "Just a term for a crazy person who doesn't see reality very well."
Shoto chuckled slightly and took Danny's hand and shook it. The two walked into the tunnel as Shoto said, "So I guess you win the bet. You are superior and you have the worst backstory. I guess I concede."
Danny put his arm around Shoto's shoulder, "It doesn't matter. You were pretty strong out there. You have the makings of becoming a great hero. Better than your old man."
Shoto then said, "I remember you saying something that alludes to your parents no longer being around. Does that have to do with that rich crazy maniac you mentioned during our match?"
Danny stopped walking and sighed, "You are very clever. Yeah, it does. That crazy rich maniac, that fruit loop, he…..killed my parents. Only because I wouldn't follow his crazy plan of becoming his son just because I have powers like him."
Shoto looked at Danny, "I'm so sorry, Fenton. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I guess you do have the worst backstory compared to mine."
Danny shook his head, "It's OK. At least I still have my older sister. And hey, your backstory is pretty shitty too, so let's just call it a tie. Now come on, I think our classmates want to see us back in the box."
Shoto nodded, "OK. Just one more question. I remember during the USJ incident that you somehow possessed that monster. Why didn't you use that power during your fights? You would have instantly won."
Danny sighed, "It's a power I don't like using unless absolutely necessary. I hate the fact that using it takes away a person's free will. It unsettles me. Plus, what I used on you wasn't my most powerful attack."
Shoto was shocked as Danny said, "Story for another time. Come on. Let's get going."
The two made their way towards the Class 1-A box. What they didn't realize was that Bakugo was listening in on their conversation.
Shoto also did notice his father standing nearby as they walked back to the box, but he didn't acknowledge him. Endeavor growled in annoyance.
When Danny and Shoto returned to the Class 1-A box, their classmates all surrounded them and told them that their match was amazing to watch. Izuku tried to ask many questions, but Danny made everyone back up and give himself and Shoto some space.
Shoto did look over at Izuku and said, "Seems like Fenton and you have something in common. You both like to meddle in other people's lives. For better or for worse."
Izuku paled, "Sorry. I just…"
Shoto stopped him, "It was necessary. And reminded me that I can be my own hero. Like my mother told me long ago."
Out in the ring, Bakugo and Tokoyami were standing there staring at each other while Present Mic announced, "And now, Bakugo versus Tokoyammi! Bakugo's vicious rushes are unstoppable!"
The match started and Tokoyami immediately summoned Dark Shadow to block Bakugo.
Bakugo growled, "That thing is so damn annoying! Die! Loser!"
He tried to blast Tokoyami, but Dark Shadow blocked it.
"Such brutality," Tokoyami noted.
Bakugo kept blasting Dark Shadow as Present Mic narrated, "Tokoyami has advanced this far with an almost unbeatable Quirk. But this time, it looks like he's on the ropes!" Bakugo's blasts were making Tokoyami back up along with Dark Shadow.
Mina cried, "What is that bird brain doing? He attacked super hard when he was up against us!"
She was sitting next to Momo, who said, "There must be a reason."
Ochaco realized, "Dark Shadow. He can't go on the offensive because of all the light. This matchup couldn't be any worse."
Izuku added, "Most people don't know about his weakness. Kacchan may not have figured it out yet."
"He probably will," Danny said. "Or he'll just keep blasting him like he always does with everything else."
Tokoyami thought, "I underestimated him. I don't have any time to recharge Dark Shadow's power. I'm running out of darkness. Is he just trying to wear me down? It looks like his moves are getting faster!"
Bakugo blasted into the air to attack, but Dark Shadow blocked him. Tokoyami shouted, "Dark Shadow! Grab him!"
But Bakugo dodged and got behind Tokoyami and shouted, "Stun Grenade!" He sent a powerful blast at Tokoyami and Dark Shadow, causing a huge explosion and for a bit, no one could see anything.
Present Mic narrated, "How am I supposed to commentate when I can't see? What's happening?"
In the ring, Bakugo held down Tokoyami by holding his beak. Tokoyami asked, "Tell me Bakugo, did you know of my weakness before?"
Bakugo held up his other hand, ready to attack, "I figured it out by attacking over and over again. It was a pretty bad matchup for you. Almost feel bad. But you're done."
Tokoyami closed his eyes, "I surrender."
Midnight announced, "Tokoyami gives up! Bakugo's the winner of the match!"
The crowd cheered as Present Mic narrated, "That means our final fight will be between Fenton and Bakugo!"
Bakugo looked up into the stands and glared at Danny, who glared right back at him.
Ochaco sighed, "Man, what a bummer. Poor Tokoyami."
Sero added, "I totally thought the bird would win for sure."
Kaminari said, "I guess that means his Quirk's not invincible after all."
Kirishima added, "So light is his weakness. Interesting. And Bakugo's the kind of guy that would exploit that."
Over in the Class 1-B box, Kendo mocked Monoma, "You chose a terrifying person to be your enemy."
Monoma countered, "Not at all. Just luck that his Quirk worked so well against that guy."
Tetsutetsu added, "These finals have been one big showcase for Class 1-A. Damn it!"
Izuku muttered, "I wonder what this match will be like. Besides intense."
Tenya added, "We'll have to take notes for next time."
Danny got up, "Well, wish me luck."
Class 1-A cheered for their class rep as Danny left the box.
Suddenly Tenya's phone buzzed and he saw that his mother was calling, "Excuse me. I have to take this."
He walked out of the box and answered his phone, "Hello, Mom? I'm sorry to tell you this, but I lost. In the second match."
His mother said, "No, son, I'm not calling about that. I mean, I'm sorry. But, Tenya, please listen carefully. It's your brother. A villain got Tensei!" Tenya was shocked by this news.
Elsewhere in the city, Stain was sitting on top of a roof, looking out, "You haven't even noticed it, have you? This warped society, mired by hypocrisy and vanity. That's fine, I'll open your eyes, heroes. You will see the world that you've created."
He sensed something behind him and swung his sword, but it went through a warp portal, meaning Kurogiri was there, "Please remain calm. We are of the same mind. I have been searching for you, Hero Killer Stain. I heard of your exploits and wanted to meet you in person. I think you'll be interested in what I have to offer."