MHA Universe, Earth, Japan, Musutafu.
"How is All Might's first class going?" Shota asked as he stepped into Nezu's office.
"Fairly well, I would say." Nezu replied with a chuckle. "Though, seeing him read the rules of a flash card was rather entertaining."
Shota could only sigh helplessly at what he just heard.
"The students who participated in the first match did well, though." Nezu continued. "Especially Matou-Kun and Hanekura-Kun. They are definitely talents worth nurturing."
"I expected as much." Shota replied with a nod. "I'm also looking forward to how Bakugo-Kun, Midoriya-Kun, Todoroki-Kun, and Tokoyami-Kun do."
"Not Soramoto-Kun?" Nezu asked curiously.
"He's been trained by a professional Hero for the past three years." Shota said while shaking his head. "On top of that, he doesn't have any traumatic training experiences that will impede his growth. The only issue with him is seeing how well he works with others."
"And we'll be able to see that shortly." Nezu said as he turned his attention back to the monitor displaying the Battle Trial in Ground Beta.
At the same time, Akatsuki, Sakura, Momo, and Tenya had just returned to the monitoring room. After a few moments of congratulations and praise from their classmates, Toshinori interrupted the chatter, asking the students what they thought of the two teams tactics and strategies during the match.
However, while Toshinori asked nearly everyone what they thought, he made a point of not allowing Tatsuo to respond. For some reason, he had the feeling that Tatsuo did not need to be tested on analysis.
And Toshinori was right. Thanks to his training with DOATEC, Tatsuo was well versed in analyzing a battle. So, although allowing Tatsuo to answer would give the other students some level of insight, it would not help them analyze the battle themselves.
"You've all given well-structured responses." Toshinori said after the last student gave a response. "Now, I'll announce the MVP for the match."
Hearing that, all the students focused all their attention on Toshinori.
"It's Akatsuki." Tatsuo muttered quietly.
"And the MVP is Young Hanekura." Toshinori announced, seemingly having not heard Tatsuo's muttering. "Not only did she turn around a bad situation, she showed great comradery in saving her teammate. Also, in using herself as bait to draw Young Matou's attention, she created a chance for her teammate to complete the objective."
"Called it." Tatsuo said quietly.
Once again, most of the students broke into applause and congratulated Akatsuki. Meanwhile, Kyoka, who had been standing next to Tatsuo, looked at him with slight awe in her gaze when he so easily predicted Toshinori's MVP winner.
"Now, let's move on to the next match." Toshinori said after letting the crowd settle down. He then reached into the box to select the next pairing. "Heroes: Team G. Villains: Team A. Battleground, Building B."
After Toshinori's announcement, the members of the two teams, Shoto and Mina of Team G and Rikido and Ochaco of Team A made their way to Building B after receiving good luck wishes from their friends in the class.
Though, that only applied to Mina, Ochaco, and Rikido. As for Shoto, who did not usually speak to anyone in class, he only stared at Tatsuo for a few seconds before making his way out of the monitoring room.
"This probably isn't gonna last long." Tatsuo muttered to himself.
"Why do you say that?" Kyoka asked curiously.
Izuku, who was also standing next to Tatsuo, turned to look at him curiously, as well.
"it's because he wants to show Tatsuo-Kun up." Akatsuki said as she made her way to Tatsuo's side with Sakura, Momo, and Tenya.
"Exactly." Tatsuo replied. "He looks like the type of guy with a chip on his shoulder. Just like Bakugo…"
"Fuck off!" Bakugo shouted in response, making it clear that he had been paying attention to Tatsuo, who he saw as a rival.
"Language, Young Bakugo." Toshinori said, though he was completely ignored.
"… So, he's gonna do something to prove that he's the strongest in the class." Tatsuo continued without paying attention to the interruptions.
"Really? How can you tell?" Izuku asked curiously. "Todoroki-San never talks to anyone. So, it's really hard to get a read on him."
"I'm just really good at reading people." Tatsuo replied with a shrug.
"If you're right, Soramoto-Kun." Momo said while adopting a contemplative expression. "Then, I hope he doesn't take things too far."
"I don't think we need to worry about that." Sakura said softly. "Although he wants to prove himself, Todoroki-Kun doesn't seem like a bad person."
"Yeah, he probably won't take it too far like the firecracker in our class would." Akatsuki added with a laugh.
"Do you wanna die?" Katsuki shouted once again.
And once again, he was completely ignored.
"Anyway, only time will tell." Tatsuo said calmly. "But I'd bet this match will last less than two minutes."
Curious to see just how accurate Tatsuo's prediction was, the room quieted down as the class paid attention to the monitor showing the two teams. And when they saw the state of each team, Team A discussing their strategy in the room where the bomb was located, and Team G standing at the entrance silently, Mina looking like she did not know what to do as Shoto ignored her attempts to communicate, they began to believe Tatsuo's analysis.
"The preparation time is over." Toshinori said into the transceiver. "Let the match begin!"
As the match began, everyone saw Shoto speak to Mina for the first time. However, that only caused an expression of confusion and slight annoyance to appear on her face.
Meanwhile, Shoto, completely unbothered by Mina's reaction, stepped towards the building's entrance. However, instead of stepping inside, he stood just outside the door and placed his right hand on the door frame.
"What is he doing?" Mezo asked curiously.
Mezo's question was answered in the very next instant when the entire building, from the ground floor to the roof was flash-frozen. And that did not just include the exterior of the building. Everything on the interior, along with Rikido and Ochaco, was frozen, as well.
When most of the students saw that, their jaws fell open in surprise. Naturally, there were a few exceptions. And one was Katsuki, who narrowed his eyes as he clenched his fists tightly. Even so, the muffled sounds of explosion could still be heard coming from his hands.
"Yeah, that's about what I expected." Tatsuo said with a nod.
"You actually expected something like that?" Izuku asked dumbfoundedly.
"Yeah, he's trying to show he's the strongest." Tatsuo replied nonchalantly. He then turned to Toshinori. "All Might-Sensei, do you want me to get Sato and Uraraka out of there?"
"Please." Toshinori, who had also been surprised by Shoto's display, said after Tatsuo's question snapped him back to his senses. He then pressed the button on the console and continued. "Winner, Team G."
At the same time, Tatsuo [Blinked] to the entrance of Building B.
"Tatsu-Kun?" Mina asked when Tatsuo appeared. "What are you doing here?"
That caused Shoto to turn his head. And when he saw Tatsuo, he did not show much in terms of a change of expression. But Tatsuo could see the challenge in the boy's eyes.
"Just going to get the other two out." Tatsuo replied nonchalantly as he walked towards the building's entrance.
"How?" Mina asked curiously.
Instead of responding, Tatsuo just continued to walk. When he reached the entrance, he phased through the frozen door, causing Mina's eyes to widen while Shoto's narrowed.
Unfortunately, because Shoto froze everything, including the surveillance system, no one could see what Tatsuo was doing exactly. However, there were two people in the monitoring room who knew exactly what was going on.
"Phasing into another space is enough to move through the ice without issue. "Sakura said calmly. "But how is he going to get the other two out? He can't touch anyone unless he releases that state, right?"
"Right." Akatsuki replied. "But he always comes up with something. So, just watch."
"Phasing into another space?" Most of the students in the monitoring room chorused in unison.
"Yeah, it's his ultimate defensive technique." Akatsuki said with a nod. "Nothing can touch him unless he wants it to."
"That feels kind of unfair." Denki muttered.
"But he can't attack when he's like that." Izuku said after replying to Sakura's earlier words. "So, it has its drawbacks."
"Every technique and [Quirk] has its drawbacks." Toshinori said. "And the first step is identifying them. The next is capitalizing. You must always remember that."
While the students nodded in understanding to Toshinori's advice, something on the monitor that showed Mina and Shoto caught their attention a few moments later.
Not far away from Mina and Shoto, a tear in space opened in the air. Shortly afterwards, two ice blocks, each encasing one of their opponents, fell through the tear. And upon impact with the ground, the ice shattered, releasing Rikido and Ochaco from their confinement.
However, everyone noticed something about the ice shards that fell to the ground when the ice shattered.
"Those shards, aren't they a little too perfect?" Mina asked curiously while looking down at the ice.
"They look like they were cut with a blade." Shoto said, speaking for the first time since the match began.
"Well, how else was I supposed to cut them free?" Tatsuo asked as he fell through the tear in space, landing between Ochaco and Rikido, who were hugging themselves in an attempt to ward off the cold. "You made things easier by not actually freezing them, though. If that centimeter, or so, of space wasn't between them and the ice, I would have really had to put in some effort."
As he spoke, Tatsuo looked at Shoto with an approving smile.
"That was some seriously amazing control, Dude." Tatsuo said, genuine praise in his tone. "To leave such a small buffer from so far away… You must have put in a crap-ton of work."
Despite Tatsuo's praise being genuine, Shoto did not look like he was taking it as such. Though, it was hard to tell how he was taking it since his expression did not change in the slightest. Nor did he thank Tatsuo for the compliment. Instead, he just turned around and started walking back to the monitoring room.
"That was kinda rude." Mina said while watching Shoto leave.
"Don't worry about it." Tatsuo replied with a shrug. "I wasn't saying all that to get on his good side. I was just stating a fact. So, it doesn't really matter how he took it. More importantly…"
Tatsuo turned to Ochaco and Rikido after reaching that point.
"… do you two wanna go to the infirmary?" Tatsuo asked. "I can take you to see Recovery Gril if anything feels off."
"Nah, I'm okay." Rikido replied casually. Though, his voice was shaking from all the shivering.
"I just need a blanket, or something." Ochaco replied. "I'll be fine after I get a little warmer."
Rikido nodded in agreement.
"If you say so." Tatsuo replied as he reached his right arm to the side.
At the same time, a wavering, midnight purple portal popped into existence. Then, a pair of clean, neatly folded blankets slid out of the portal and fell onto Tatsuo's outstretched arm.
"Well, you two can use these." Tatsuo said with a smile. "I guess it's a good thing Alfonzo told me to keep stuff like this in my [Storage Space] for emergencies, huh?"
With that, Tatsuo tossed the two blankets to Ochaco and Rikido, who quickly wrapped themselves up after catching them. Then, he tore a hole in space and led the other three back to the monitoring room. As for Shoto? Well, since he was rude enough to walk away without a word, Tatsuo didn't care about letting him walk back. The walk was not that long, anyway.
A moment later, the four students were standing among their classmates in the monitoring room. A couple minutes later, Shoto also entered the monitoring room. And when he saw the others, his eyebrow twitched momentarily, a clear sign of annoyance. But he ultimately did not say anything.
After that, the class followed the same routine as they did after the first match. Though, there was not much to say about this one, and Shoto was named the MVP. After that, Toshinori once again reached into the box to draw the next set of teams.
"The next match will be between…" Toshinori said as he reached into the box once again. "Team F, acting as the Heroes, and Team B, acting as the villains. Your trial will take place in Building C. Once you are in position, your five-minute planning period will begin."
With that, Eijiro, Fumikage, Mezo, and Toru left the room and made their way to another five-story building. After that, the five minutes passed quickly and the battle started.
Unlike the last battle, this one did not end so quickly. But like all the others, it did end. And the winner was Team F, despite the fact that neither Mezo nor Toru had the power needed to break through the combination of offense and defense Fumikage's and Eijiro's [Quirks] provide.
Instead, Team F used their brains to gain victory. Because everyone knew that Toru had little to no offensive power, neither Fumikage nor Eijiro had been paying much attention to her. And that made it easy for them to completely lose track of her. Especially when she took off the gloves and boots that acted as her Hero costume. So, in the end, while Eijiro and Fumikage were defending against Mezo's attacks, Toru just snuck up to the bomb and touched it, ending the match.
Another review session followed after the two teams returned to the monitoring room. After that, Toshinori reached into the box again to draw the next pairings.
"In the fourth match, Team D will be the heroes while Team I will act as the villains." Toshinori said after pulling out the balls.
Immediately after the announcement, the students fell silent as their eyes turned to look at Tatsuo, Izuku, and Katsuki. Unfortunately for Kyoka, because of her below-average showing during the [Quirk] Apprehension Test, no one really felt that she could keep up with the other three. In fact, her own expression made it quite clear that she had thoughts that aligned with the other students.
As for Tatsuo, Izuku, and Katsuki…
"Good!" Katsuki shouted as he glared at Tatsuo. "This is the perfect chance for me to show you just who stands at the top of the class."
Katsuki then turned towards Izuku with a venomous glare.
"Don't get in my way, Deku." Katsuki growled.
Izuku did not know how to respond to that. Although he had gained quite a bit more confidence after training with Tatsuo, Akatsuki, and Sakura, he still showed a rather submissive attitude when it came to dealing with Katsuki.
Meanwhile, Tatsuo almost completely ignored Katsuki, only shooting a short glance in the explosive boy's direction before turning his attention to Kyoka.
"I've got a plan to deal with them." Tatsuo said with a smile. "And your [Quirk] will be a big part of it."
Hearing that, Kyoka looked at Tatsuo skeptically. Even so, she nodded her head in understanding.
"Alright, you four, head to Building A." Toshinori said, putting an end to the chatter. "After the villains reach the bomb, the five-minute planning period will begin."