The audience had regained their enthusiasm after two incredible matches that ended with the victories of Allen Walker and Shoto Todoroki respectively. That left only three matches remaining.
Present Mic grabbed the microphone before making the announcement.
"Now in the third round, we have the son of the Iida family, the next hero in their lineage, Tenya Iida! Against the heiress of the Yaoyorozu family—but don't be fooled, she's just as talented as she looks—Momo Yaoyorozu!"
On the platform, Momo Yaoyorozu looked at Tenya Iida seriously.
"Iida-kun, I don't plan to lose."
Momo was an intelligent, hardworking and and very talented girl; if it weren't for the change in admission rules, she could have skipped the entrance exam and been accepted directly into the UA. That alone proved how highly her talent was valued in everyone's eyes.
"Neither do I, Yaoyorozu..."
Iida was coming off a bitter victory against Mei Hatsume. He didn't even want to think about how foolish he had looked at that moment. Besides, his family—especially his older brother—was watching. He couldn't leave without showing what he was capable of.
Midnight observed both of them before smiling.
"Begin!"
Iida used his Quirk to accelerate toward Momo. He didn't want to give her even a single moment to create objects.
Momo had anticipated this, of course, and had already created a flash grenade which she threw toward Iida.
It exploded without causing damage but temporarily blinded him. This was the reality of fighting classmates: they knew each other's Quirks perfectly and could think of strategies to defeat them, which meant the battles weren't just about brute strength.
The crowd became excited and began shouting.
When Iida recovered his sight, he was surprised to see that the ground around him was filled with spikes.
"I'm sorry, Iida-kun," Momo said with a smile. "If you had your suit, this wouldn't be possible. But right now..."
Superhero suits existed to complement Quirks, but also to compensate for weaknesses. In Iida's case, his armor had protection on the soles to deal with situations like this.
"Wow! Out of nowhere, Tenya Iida finds himself in trouble because of Momo Yaoyorozu's strategy!" said Present Mic.
"Very well thought out..." added Shota Aizawa.
"In that case!"
Despite the disadvantage, Iida didn't give up. He jumped into the air and used his engines to propel himself upward.
Momo smiled. At some point, she had created a net on her back, and without hesitation, she threw it toward Iida.
Seeing he was about to be trapped, Iida remembered how Mei had done the same thing to him. So while in midair, he spun around and activated his engines at full power, blasting the net back toward Momo.
"No way!"
Momo, completely surprised, hadn't expected that and ended up getting caught.
Iida landed in front of her.
"Please surrender..."
Momo clenched her teeth in frustration. She knew that the moment she tried to create something, Iida would attack her.
"I surrender," Momo sighed.
Midnight smiled.
"The winner is Tenya Iida!"
Momo returned to the stands looking depressed. When Allen saw this, he stood up and gently patted her head to comfort her. The gesture made her feel embarrassed, but it also made her feel better, so she didn't move away from Allen's hand.
....
Barbara – I can't believe Momo lost. She has such an incredible Quirk, yet still becomes overconfident.
Saeko – Her strategic ability is good, but when things don't go as she expects, she loses focus; she needs to improve in that area.
Eve – You also have to admit that the boy with glasses has gotten much stronger compared to before.
Diana – Not just him. Several students are showing tremendous improvement in this tournament.
The Emperor – An overwhelming competitor forces the others to grow stronger or perish.
Rebecca – I have to admit I like his Quirk. It's like cyberware. Honestly, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try recreating it haha.
Albedo – Bitch, look how she's blushing. I wouldn't be surprised if she lost on purpose just so Allen-sama would comfort her!
Juvia – Juvia thinks the same!
Emma F – I see nothing wrong with a woman using every resource at her disposal to win the heart of her beloved.
Natasha – Yeah, like building the biggest building in the world just for him...
Rei – What?!
Rias – I had almost forgotten about that... This woman has no shame.
Akeno – Buchou can't fall behind. We could carve his face into a mountain or something, ufufu~
Orihime – Uwa... women with money are scary...
"Even someone like me doesn't have an ego big enough to want my face on a mountain," Allen laughed.
....
The next match began immediately afterward.
Present Mic announced the participants.
"Don't lose that excitement! This match is between two girls—the warrior who never gives up, Ochako Uraraka, against the one capable of melting evil, Mina Ashido!"
Both Mina Ashido and Ochako Uraraka felt embarrassed by the introduction, but they quickly shifted into combat mode.
"It's nothing personal, Ochako-chan~," Mina said with an amused smile.
Ochako smiled back.
"Same here."
"Begin!"
As soon as Midnight gave the signal, Ochako rushed toward Mina. In response, Mina released acid from her hands—carefully adjusted to cause pain, not kill.
Ochako dodged the acid, although some of it splashed onto her cheek. It immediately began releasing vapor and causing pain, but despite that, Ochako kept attacking.
Mina launched more acid.
Ochako flipped to dodge it, and when she reached Mina she threw a punch. But just when it seemed like Ochako had the advantage, Mina surprised everyone by grabbing her arm, slamming her down, and locking her between her legs.
"Did you think you were the only one who learned martial arts?!" Mina shouted as she tried to force Ochako to surrender.
Ochako struggled as much as she could, but in the end, she yielded and gave up.
"The winner is Mina Ashido!" Midnight shouted before the stadium applauded both girls—especially Ochako, who had made it very far despite not having a combat-oriented Quirk.
Mina released her and Ochako started coughing.
"Are you okay?"
Mina offered her hand to Ochako with concern. Regardless of their momentary rivalry, there was no real hostility between them.
Ochako returned to the stands, where everyone congratulated her for her efforts. Even Tsuyu Asui hugged her.
However, the girl's gaze subtly moved toward Allen.
He raised an eyebrow before smiling, then walked over and patted her head.
At the very least, Allen wasn't a dense protagonist incapable of understanding subtle signals.
....
The final round was about to begin, and by then Toru Hagakure and Setsuna Tokage were already on the platform.
"On one side, the girl that nobody expected much from but proved she could make it this far—Toru Hagakure! And on the other side, the last hope of Class 1-B—Setsuna Tokage!"
"Hey..." Setsuna said with a sharp-toothed grin.
A question mark seemed to appear above Toru's head.
"What is it?"
"Are you Allen's girlfriend or something?"
"Huh? N-no, it's not like that!" Toru immediately blushed at the question.
"Mmm," Setsuna smiled provocatively. "Then it's fine if I take him for myself?~"
"No!"
Toru's immediate refusal surprised not only Setsuna but also Midnight. That shy girl hadn't hesitated for even a second.
"You brats, stop that and fight!" Midnight growled, annoyed that these girls were so openly aiming for her Allen.
Toru made her clothes invisible, reducing her presence even further.
Setsuna smirked mockingly before turning her body into multiple projectiles. To everyone's surprise, she began attacking in every direction indiscriminately.
"It doesn't matter if I can't see you—eventually something will hit the target if I fire enough shots!"
"Incredible strategy!" Present Mic exclaimed. "Huh?! Can this really be called a strategy, Aizawa?!"
After thinking for a moment, Aizawa replied, "It's a simple strategy, but sometimes those get the best results..."
Toru was in trouble. She couldn't approach silently, and even if she did, she wasn't sure she could actually deal damage.
So she bet everything and ran.
Unfortunately, it didn't work. Setsuna found her and immediately attacked. Toru was struck and knocked down.
"It's over! The winner is Setsuna Tokage!" Midnight declared.
When Toru returned to the stands, she was pouting while clinging to Allen's arm.
"There's compatibility for everything, don't worry about it," Allen said with a laugh.
....
When Izuku Midoriya opened his eyes, he saw a white ceiling. It didn't take him long to recognize the place, since he had visited it more than once.
Tears of frustration gathered in his eyes, but a deep voice interrupted him before he could start crying.
"You did well, young Midoriya," said All Might. Although he had gone to check on Endeavor, the truth was that he still hadn't recovered, so after eating he returned to the infirmary.
"All Might?!"
Deku was surprised to see his hero in the bed next to his. Guilt immediately overwhelmed him, and while sitting on the bed he lowered his head in apology.
"I'm sorry!"
All Might looked at Deku before letting out a sigh.
"There was a time when I wasn't anything special. My master used to scold me for being reckless. Many times I even risked my life in foolish ways."
"..."
Deku blinked at All Might's confession. Somehow, the Symbol of Peace always gave the impression of being perfect—of never making mistakes and always standing above everyone else.
"Midoriya-kun, you don't have to push yourself to be like me right away. You're already progressing very quickly... don't worry. Until you're able to grow on your own, I'll be there!" All Might said with a smile.
Deku held back the urge to cry and nodded.
Without either of them realizing it, in the third bed Katsuki Bakugo clicked his tongue. He had also woken up and had heard everything.
....
With the end of the second round, the five finalists gathered in the center of the stadium in front of Midnight.
"Five participants. The next round will be decided with a lottery!"
Midnight pointed at an urn in front of her. Inside were five spheres, each with a number from one to five.
"The first will fight the second, the third will fight the fourth. If someone decides not to fight, the next participant may take their place. And whoever draws the fifth spot will pass directly to the next round!" Midnight looked over the five of them.
The first to draw was Shoto Todoroki. Unexpectedly, he pulled the last position. That meant if no one withdrew, he would pass directly to the semifinals.
Next was Tenya Iida, who got the fourth spot.
After him came Allen Walker.
When Allen walked toward the urn, silence spread everywhere. Whether in the stadium or across the millions of televisions, computers, and devices broadcasting the event, everyone fell silent.
Allen, confident and wearing a half-smile, pulled a sphere from the urn.
When he showed it, it had the number one.
Both Setsuna Tokage and Mina Ashido sighed. One of them would have to fight Allen.
Allen shrugged and returned to his place while Setsuna stepped forward. She drew the number two sphere, which made Class 1-B grow depressed. It seemed their participation had come to an end.
"I withdraw," Setsuna said, unsurprisingly to many.
"Are you sure?" Midnight asked.
Setsuna winked at Allen.
"That's right. I couldn't beat this handsome guy even if I wanted to. Besides, I already did what I needed to do~"
It was worth remembering that the goal of this tournament wasn't victory, but to show off powers, abilities, and attitudes to professional heroes and agencies in hopes of earning a spot.
They were like soccer players attracting the attention of clubs, and even if they didn't reach the final match, more than one hero already had their eyes on many of them.
Setsuna stepped down from the podium and walked toward Allen, leaning close to his ear.
"Consider it a favor. You can find a way to repay me later," the girl said with a predatory look.
Mina immediately grabbed Allen's arm in jealousy and stuck her tongue out at the girl. Setsuna only laughed before walking away.
"With the withdrawal of Setsuna Tokage, the second spot goes to Mina Ashido, the third to Tenya Iida, and the fourth to Shoto Todoroki."
"Midnight-sensei, I withdraw too~," Mina said, taking the opportunity to stay close to Allen.
"Mina?" Allen raised an eyebrow as he watched the pink girl hug his arm between her breasts.
"Hehe~ I couldn't fight you ❤️"
A vein twitched on Midnight's eyebrow. Several girls in the stands were also annoyed by Mina's shamelessness, but she ignored them while giving Allen puppy eyes.
Mina flirted a little more with Allen before stepping down from the arena.
That left Tenya Iida in the second spot, meaning he would have to face Allen.
"I will not surrender!" Iida declared, pointing at Allen with determination.
Allen smiled with amusement and said threateningly, "Then show me your Plus Ultra."
....
"Victory for Allen Walker!"
Midnight announced the result, leaving everyone in shock, since the fight had ended instantly.
When Iida used his maximum speed to attack Allen, he was met with a punch to the face that knocked him out cold.
"Midnight-sensei, can we start the final?"
Allen didn't even step down from the stage. He didn't need to rest.
Midnight, having seen how Allen ended the fight, had no problem accepting.
Todoroki came out of the tunnel as if he had already anticipated this outcome.
"Is everyone ready?! Now, before you, the final match will take place!"
Present Mic knew this would be the end of the Sports Festival, so he raised his energy to the maximum.
"On one side, the genius recognized since the moment he awakened his Quirk—the son of Japan's number two hero—a young man with an incredibly powerful Quirk, Shoto Todoroki!"
The crowd cheered at the top of their lungs.
"And on the other side, we have the rising revelation! He has demonstrated strength and power beyond comprehension—and whose limits we have yet to see—Allen Walker!"
Unexpectedly, Allen also received cheers from half the audience.
Just as Bakugo had thought: even though Allen had a terrible reputation due to his shameless behavior, he was still undeniably strong, and some people supported him despite everything.
"Well, this is exactly the final I was expecting," Allen said, smiling with amusement.
Todoroki, on the other hand, remained serious.
"I hate that attitude of yours... but you have the right to it. After all, you really are that strong."
Allen stopped smiling.
"I see you've grown. It's hard to imagine that arrogant version of you admitting someone else's strength."
Todoroki remained silent for a moment. A hint of self-criticism appeared in his eyes before he spoke.
"There's nothing strange about it. If you're capable of showing respect to others, why wouldn't I?"
Allen smiled faintly, but most of the audience was confused. They didn't understand why Todoroki would say that. Hadn't he seen what kind of bastard Allen was?
However, some people did understand.
It might seem like Allen was simply mocking everyone, that he just enjoyed making them suffer—and perhaps a part of him really was like that—but there was something more. Allen had been constantly pushing them to their limits, without breaking them, without destroying them, just forcing them to the edge. Because of that, many had grown stronger.
This wasn't a coincidence. Allen had definitely done it on purpose.
Part of it was because of the promise he had made to All Might to find a replacement for him, and part of it was simply his own curiosity.
He wanted to see how much these young heroes could grow.
"But..." Allen pulled out another card, this one different from the previous ones. "That doesn't mean it'll be easy to overcome this wall."
As soon as the card shattered, a wooden mask appeared in Allen's hands.
The moment he held it, Allen felt an urge to put it on.
Strangely, his instincts screamed at him to throw that thing as far away as possible.
"To be honest," Allen said, a drop of sweat running down his cheek—something that surprised everyone, even Todoroki, "even I don't know what will happen when I do this..."
Todoroki felt a bad premonition and immediately attacked with fire and ice.
But it was too late.
Allen placed the mask on his face. It instantly molded itself to his features.
The sky, which had been clear moments ago, became covered with clouds, while a tornado formed where Todoroki's attack had been launched.
"Ready for the show?!"
====
A/N: Can anyone guess what that mask is? 👀