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[Number Two]
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| Minutes later… |
...
After his small standoff with Todoroki in the waiting room, Taka made his way up the stairs at the side of the stadium, rising through the stands filled with people.
Eventually, he reached the section given to Class 1-A to watch the ongoing battles. Most of his classmates were already there, sitting patiently as they watched the arena being repaired from his and Mina's fight by Cementoss. Class 1-B's section was right next to theirs, though a wall separated the two, so he couldn't see them.
Still, he'd keep an eye out in case Monoma decided to become a wall-crawler.
As he got close enough, his classmates noticed him.
Kaminari waved, looking pretty amused. "That was one heck of a fight, class rep! I wouldn't want to be Mina right now!"
In the row in front of him, Uraraka nodded softly, smiling wryly as she stared at the spot where Mina had been lying some minutes ago. "I feel bad for her, getting eliminated right at the start of the tournament, and so one-sidedly..."
"At least he didn't nuke her outright." Sero's comment came from a corner of the section, more of a mutter than something he was actually sharing.
Though it was still pretty much heard by everyone, earning several nods along the way.
"It could have gone a lot worse, all things considered," Kaminari agreed.
Taka didn't address any of their comments. He just made his way through the group, searching for a spot—until he caught Jiro pointing at an empty seat beside her.
Without looking any further, he made his way to it and sat down.
As he settled in, she side-eyed him, smirking slightly. "Not even a bit of mercy, huh?"
"I had plenty of mercy," Taka answered without looking, arms crossed.
She could only send him a wry look of disbelief. "There was mercy in that?"
Taka didn't answer.
Just like that, a couple of minutes went by as everyone watched the arena be reconstructed below.
Then, someone else arrived.
"Class rep!"
Mina appeared at the end of the stands, calling out to Taka while fuming, drawing everyone's attention.
She snapped a finger at him. "You fooled me, how could you?!"
Tsuyu, sitting nearby, tilted her head curiously. "Mina-chan, what did he do to get you so worked up?"
Mina lunged at Tsuyu and hugged her, near tears. "Tsu-chaan!—he said he wouldn't be using his Quirk against me, but in the end, he did! This isn't the class rep I voted for!"
"You didn't vote for him, Mina-chan," Tsuyu said, rubbing the pink-haired head, who ignored her comment.
Meanwhile, Taka shot Mina a flat look.
"I never said that," He said, loud enough for her to hear.
"You liar!"
"I said I would be changing my fighting style, not fighting without my Quirk."
"Stop making excuses!"
Taka rolled his eyes, huffed, and turned his attention back to the platform below, not bothering to answer further.
While she kept fuming and glaring daggers at him, Sero leaned a little closer to her and whispered.
"What exactly did he say?"
Mina pouted, then pointed at Taka. "He said he couldn't let everyone think he'd gotten this far only because of his Quirk, and that he should show what he could do without leaning on it or something like that. Can you believe him?! Isn't that basically saying he wouldn't use it?!"
Tsuyu put a finger to her mouth. "I think Mina-chan has a point. Taka's words could be interpreted that way."
"That was kinda trashy, Takahashi," Jiro elbowed him with a smirk.
Taka glared at her with a done look too.
Soon, Kirishima nodded along, before pumping up a fist. "It was a bit unmanly, Taka. If you were gonna go all out, you should have done so from the very start!"
Mina sent him a baffled look this time. "... uh, the not-going all out part was not that bad."
"Idiots."
Suddenly, that insult rang out in the air, silencing everyone.
A second of silence later, they turned and identified the origin.
Surprisingly, the one who said that was Bakugo, who sat with his arms crossed, looking ahead with a scowl plastered on his face—nothing new really.
The gratuitous insult was a bit surprising, though. It was in character, but no one knew why he had suddenly thrown it.
Bakugo, however, didn't say anything else. He just continued staring ahead, as if their confusion was none of his business.
But in the end, he didn't need to. Whatever point he'd been making with that single word, someone else appeared to have the same thought.
"You're all missing the bigger picture," Tokoyami suddenly spoke, arms crossed and eyes closed. "Takahashi actually helped Ashido by using his Quirk."
"What, how was I helped? I got eliminated in the first round, and pretty badly at that!" Mina complained, waving a fist at him.
"You were going to lose one way or another," Tokoyami said bluntly, before opening his eyes and glancing her way. "But by using his Quirk and pushing you to your limit, Takahashi let everyone see what you were truly capable of."
"So he basically turned the fight into a showcase of her abilities," Sato muttered, holding his chin and nodding slowly.
Everyone turned to Taka, as if waiting for confirmation.
"…"
Feeling their gazes, Taka gave them a look, then turned back to staring at the arena impassively.
"…Maybe," He said.
"You could've just said something then! It wasn't a fun experience to almost get flattened by a giant rock, you know?!" Mina shouted, looking far from pleased.
"That was kind of the whole point. People only show their best when they're pushed to their limit," Taka answered without looking back.
"Still!"
While Mina and Taka went back and forth, a few in the group were smiling quietly to themselves.
"As expected, even now, the class rep is still looking out for us," Sero muttered, grinning.
"I misjudged him. I should have seen his intentions coming—how unmanly of me." Kirishima shook his head with a regretful look.
"I believed in him from the start. Takahashi-san is someone who takes his duty seriously—even if his behavior has been a little erratic today, I was certain he had his reasons. Perhaps there's still a lesson we have yet to fully grasp, and that he tried to teach us with the first and second games," Iida nodded, adjusting his glasses as if he had it all figured out.
There wasn't.
Knowing that, Taka looked away, feeling a little guilty.
As he did, he caught Midoriya sneaking glances at him from the corner of his eye, furiously scribbling in his notebook.
'Nothing new there.'
He didn't know what Midoriya was writing in that analysis notebook of his, but given how much he'd held back up until now, whatever the greenhead was concluding about his aura was probably off the mark.
He'd no doubt try to use those notes when they fought.
If they fought. Midoriya would have to go through a very determined Bakugo first—and that wasn't going to be easy.
Snorting, Taka turned his attention back to the arena below.
It was mostly repaired, which meant the fight between Yaoyorozu and Todoroki would start soon.
He was genuinely curious to see how she'd perform now that he'd worked on her quick thinking and given her some real combat experience.
He hadn't been able to give her as dramatic a power boost as some of the others, so whatever happened in this fight would come down entirely to what she could do on her own.
Against someone like Todoroki, that might not be enough.
But then again, maybe he was underestimating her. Who knew what ran through that head of hers, packed with chemical formulas and a near-limitless range of possibilities at her disposal. With proper decision-making in a fight now in her corner, maybe she'd actually give Todoroki a proper smacking.
Snorting at the thought, Taka found himself looking forward to the fight.
Though—
"Class Reeep~"
"I knew you cared for us, class rep!"
"So caring~!"
"So strong!"
"So manly!"
—He sure would prefer if his classmates didn't goof off so much during it.
Sero, Sato, Kaminari, and Kirishima had broken into a strange ovation.
"So responsible!"
"So popular!"
"He is my idol!"
Soon, Hagakure, Jiro, and Mina joined in, too, which made it worse.
'What are these guys doing…?'
While Taka blinked in disbelief at his classmates' antics, suddenly, a figure stood up, facing the noisy group.
"All of you, have some respect!" Iida said, before putting a hand on his heart. "Takahashi-san was not only considerate in giving us the chance to present ourselves to the pro heroes attending today by not eliminating most of us outright—he also helped most of us prepare as thoroughly as possible for this day! Like me, for example. My footwork and fighting techniques have improved tremendously since he offered to help during our training sessions. And I'm sure I'm not the only one!"
"... He inspired me to use my Quirk in ways I hadn't thought possible," Tokoyami offered, nodding with his eyes closed. "His guidance has greatly aided my growth, and for that, he has my deepest gratitude."
"Well, he helped me push the limits of my Quirk. Without that, I think I'd have been in a much tighter spot today." Uraraka added with a small smile.
"I'd say the same. He helped a lot of us sharpen our close-combat skills," Ojiro said, glancing at the other hand-to-hand fighters with a wry smile. "I improved quite a bit myself."
Those like Sato, Kirishima, and Shoji nodded at his comment.
Hagakure's clothes jumped joyfully in her seat,
"With his help, I was actually able to find something else I can do besides not be seen!" She said, before her tone became a bit more depressed. "—though, I wasn't able to use it at all today."
Uraraka patted her back.
"…He taught me some voice techniques as well…" Koda's barely audible mutter came from somewhere in the group.
No one heard him, apparently.
"What, are we giving genuine compliments now?" Sero sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Well… he helped Asui and me come a long way with how to apply our Quirks to move more efficiently."
"Taka also helped me discover something about my Quirk I hadn't known until now," Tsuyu added.
After a pause, Mina let out a groan. "I guess… he helped me a lot too. Most of the attacks I used against him were something he helped create… That doesn't excuse him from breaking his promise though!"
Midoriya was the one to speak next once all eyes settled on him, putting his notebook down and looking seriously at his fists. "Same for me. Without the training he put me through, I think I would have faced this tournament completely unprepared… I truly owe him a lot."
Jiro looked over at Taka beside her and chuckled. "Yeah… even though he acts cold, he actually cares a lot about us, doesn't he? What's wrong, Taka? Something bothering you?"
Taka, for his part, was leaning forward with one hand clutching his face.
Everyone looked at him wryly.
"Did we actually make him cry?" Sero asked, smirking.
But then, their class rep let out a long, drawn-out sigh and stood up.
—Before giving everyone a cringing look.
"If you guys are going to get corny, I'm watching this from somewhere else."
"Eh?" The exclamation came from nearly everyone at once, except those who hadn't joined in.
And before anyone could say anything else, Taka had already turned and was walking away, disappearing behind the section's entrance shortly after.
"Whoa."
"He really just walked out on us."
"How rude."
"We should stage a revolution."
A few of them laughed. Others felt a little offended that heartfelt words had gotten that reaction out of him.
Jiro, for her part, snickered as she watched him retreat.
Bakugo, surprisingly, let out a snort.
With him gone, the class had to focus on something else that wasn't him. So they began chatting about the upcoming match, or those from the ones that were still competing.
Not long after, the platform below was fully repaired, and Present Mic began introducing the next two contestants as they made their way up to the arena.
Meanwhile, Taka was heading down the stairs, planning to leave the stadium, go to an unsupervised area to float up to the highest point of it, and watch the fight from there.
He was in no rush, though.
As he descended the stairs with calm, he massaged his temple with a wry look.
"Those guys… saying corny stuff really does come naturally to them."
Getting complimented was one thing. The secondhand embarrassment that came once it was done in mass was another.
They'd filled his corny meter faster than he'd expected. One more compliment and he might have snapped.
How exactly, he didn't know. Maybe he would have grabbed Midoriya and hurled him across the stadium.
That was probably the closest thing to what he thought his brain would have landed on. Or something similar.
Why Midoriya specifically?
Who knew. Maybe some lingering animosity toward the og protagonist was still there. Or maybe it was just that he had the most smackable face.
Mysteries that would never be solved.
While turning that over in his head, Taka arrived at the foot of the stairs and made to leave.
But then he stopped, his eyebrow arching slightly.
—Then, a hand landed on his shoulder.
"Here you are."
Taka turned.
And instantly recognized who it was.
The scowl was too familiar not to.
The flames, too, of course.
Endeavor.
'Not this too.' Taka's gaze went flat.
First, a war declaration from Todoroki, then Todoroki dumping his whole backstory on him, and now a run-in with his dad?
This was getting absurd.
'Should I start carrying Midoriya with me at all times so I can put him to deal with this in my stead?'
Snorting at the thought, he focused back on the flaming matter ahead.
Endeavor eyed him up and down and gave a soft nod before speaking.
"I've been watching your performance—Takahashi, was it? And I have to say, you've impressed me. Your Quirk is something else. I looked up its listed description, and for something as simple as it reads on paper, the raw power behind it is extraordinary, and the applications you're pulling out of it are as surprising as they are difficult to follow."
Endeavor's hand rested on Taka's shoulder for a moment, firm, but with no warmth behind it.
"The gap between you and the rest of your year… perhaps even the other years, is something I haven't seen since All Might's early days… For Shoto, whose goal is to surpass that man, facing you today will be a valuable experience—whether he realizes it or not."
"His fight hasn't been decided yet, has it?" Taka asked.
He'd heard Present Mic's narration just a minute ago without a result, which meant Yaoyorozu was still in it.
Maybe she was hanging on better than he'd expected.
Endeavor's eyes narrowed. "Please. Shoto may be throwing a childish tantrum right now by fighting at half capacity, but that doesn't make him weak. That girl won't beat him."
Taka didn't comment on that. The result was for those two to settle—there was no point speculating when he could go watch instead.
But first, this needed some handling.
"So, did you need something?"
"A favor," Endeavor said, crossing his arms. "As I said, Shoto is currently operating at half of what he's capable of, and all because of a rebellious phase that it seems he won't let go of. You're probably the only one in his year with the output to actually push him past that, and to make holding back no longer a choice. That's why I'm asking you to show him his limits, and snap him out of his delusions."
Taka said nothing.
"In return," Endeavor continued, his tone shifting into something more deliberate, "I'm prepared to offer you a formal internship placement at my agency—not a spectator's seat, but active field experience alongside the current number two hero. Beyond that, once you go pro, I'm willing to offer a standing position at the agency itself, along with full career sponsorship. In practical terms, that means media backing, industry connections, and a platform that would put your name in front of the right people from day one. For someone at your level, the right backing at the right time is the difference between a slow climb and arriving at the top fast."
He held Taka's gaze, composed and certain.
"That's not a small offer, boy," He added in the end, as if to reinforce the point, just in case it hadn't crossed.
But to his surprise—
"Is that all?" Taka asked, his eyes not carrying the slightest trace of interest.
Endeavor blinked. His frown deepened. "Is anything not to your liking?"
"Talented people may need support to reach their full potential," Taka said, glancing off to the side before his eyes returned to Endeavor. "But the truly talented will reach it with or without help."
Endeavor's brow furrowed.
Taka pressed on regardless.
"Whether you offer me a spot in your agency or the agency itself, it all will matter little if I am already at the top by then—which I'm going to."
Endeavor's eyes narrowed.
"Arrogance leads to downfall, young man."
"Maybe," He took a step closer, his aura seeping out slightly. "But here's some advice. Let go of your obsession with All Might. If you do, you might find there's still time you haven't wasted."
Endeavor's flames rose a little. The heat around him ticked up.
"What exactly are you implying, boy?"
"You want Todoroki to surpass All Might."
"…"
"The problem is, when he does—it'll be meaningless." Taka pointed at himself. "Because by then, I'll have already replaced the symbol of peace."
"That's quite enough." Endeavor said, fists tightening.
"Yeah, it sure is," Taka huffed, then took a step back and turned to leave as he'd planned.
But just before walking away, he glanced back once.
"Making Todoroki use his fire—I'll do it."
"…?" Endeavor's eyes narrowed, anger still sitting behind them, but confusion cutting through.
"But not because you asked," He smirked. "Because it wouldn't be any fun otherwise."
And with that, he walked away.
Leaving Endeavor standing there in silence.
While that happened, a few minutes later, Taka eventually arrived at the forest zone behind the stadium.
With no one watching, or at least no one attentive enough, he elevated in less than a second, and silently, and soon reached the top of the stadium.
His feet landed gently on it, and once he wasn't airborne anymore, he walked up to the border of it and sat down, leaving his legs dangling on the border as he glanced down.
"Well, would you look at that."
-Booom!-
-Booom!-
-Booom!-
There, in the arena, Todoroki was hurriedly building giant ice walls to shield himself, while Yaoyorozu activated canons and shot at the walls. On her feet, a pair of skates could be seen.
Not only that, but she was filled with tools and trinkets that she hadn't been carrying when she climbed the platform at the start of the fight.
Meaning she had created them during the fight.
He smirked, amused at the sight.
"In the end, I might not end up being the one who makes him use his fire, seeing how things are going."
It truly seemed his training plan for his classmates had done wonders.
...
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-To Be Continued...-
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(A/N: Lots of talk this chapter. Hopefully it wasn't boring.)