Laying the seeds for improvement

I made Aizawa's glasses using Momo's quirk and wore it.

"Let's go Midoriya!" I told him, cueing him to charge forward. "Make sure to stay on Todoroki's left side."

"Right!" He began moving, picking up speed.

I noticed Iida preparing to use his recipro burst and flashed towards us. Different from Kirishima, he has been saving it since the beginning of this match.

Talking about him, Kirishima came roaring in our direction, his steps cracking the concrete ground below us.

As for the girls, as soon I felt a weird pull around my head I looked at Reiko, my eyes turning red and erasing her quirk for now.

"He's utilizing Aizawa sensei's quirk on me!" Reiko told her teammates.

Iida came at us at ludicrous high speed, waiting for the perfect time I said. "Now Mei!"

"Hehe! My pleasure!" She activated Toru, and Midoriya's boots.

We all began to hover over the ground and I enveloped us with a powerful tornado.

Iida was forced to diverge his path around the powerful phenomenon to the left, but Todoroki took advantage and decided to freeze everything with his right arm.

Thanks to the lack of synergy among the enemy groups, Bakugou went for the kill and decided to blow everything up as Kirishima stomped over the growing shards of ice.

"They are not there anymore!" Warned Momo as she observed around. "There!" She pointed at our group leaving one of my warp gates. "Help me Kodai."

"Mn." She nodded, and the two made a large net gun.

"Nice prediction! But this won't be enough to stop us." I said, raising my right hand and shooting a more powerful blast and formed a solid wall of ice to trap them.

"Behind us Monoma!" Warned Toru.

When I looked back, I saw dark shadow flying straight for my headbands, which by the way, were visible again.

"Hello darkness my old friend! Please say cheese for me." I shot a blast of fire with my left hand.

Grrrr!

The creature immediately shrank in size after the bright light and the burning blaze. But before I could brag, I felt a vine tying itself around my waist.

'Oh hell no, I heard enough about many hentais, I know where this is going.' I thought to myself. "Apologies for being so impolite!" Three metal claws popped out of my knuckles and I cut through the thick plant like a hot knife through butter.

Ibara didn't feel the pain, but she was visibly annoyed with my action. "You will suffer karmic punishment for that Monoma!"

"I shall endure the price for defending my dignity as a man." I told her not really expecting that she would understand my meaning.

Boy was I surprised when I saw her blushing and accusing my to be a sinner with profane thoughts.

My my, not really a pure rose from what I see.

Amidst all that confusion, I thought that the breeze passing by was fairly natural, given my previous blast of fire and the constant formation of ice. But when I noticed it's unnatural behavior as it began to circle around me, I turned my head and erased Inasa's quirk, again. But this time I heard him saying. "Now Kinoko!"

And that was all it took for a massive field of mushrooms to begin growing everywhere.

My team hovering boots began to malfunction due to the growing mushrooms coming from inside out of it.

I had previously sprayed antifungal on us, but from what I saw, my colleagues' gear weren't as thoroughly protected.

"My babies!" Mei lamented.

I understood that Inasa was carrying Kinoko's spores and attempting to incapacitate me with it.

Thank god Kinoko still hadn't learnt that she could choke others with these stupid funguses. And due to not having her antifungal spray, her own team wasn't completely safe from her quirk as well.

"Hang in there everyone!" I created a support item I used during the first game of the tournament. "Mei, it's time to activate your second baby!"

"With pleasure!" She said.

Puffing my chest and breathing in until I couldn't anymore, I opened my mouth and shouted out loud, my voice was amplified by several folds.

I heard the nearby group in front of me shouting in pain, but as I wasn't allowed to use lethal force, only had them temporarily stunned.

Before I could turn to intercept Iida's rapid movement, I was surprised with multiple steel rods falling from above and carving themselves into the concrete ground.

They instantly charged and shot bolts of electricity in our direction, thankfully my electrical quirk prevented the worse from happening.

'Did they forgot I could generate electrical discharges?' I thought to myself. 'Or perhaps I just didn't show them.'

Thinking about who made these, I noticed multiple sounds of shots being fired again and again from above.

When I looked in that direction, I witnessed the girls' team floating and stalking us from above, while multiple hunting nets fell down on me and my team.

Mei's latest gadget that we used were advanced earplugs capable of nullifying my recent sound attack. So I couldn't rely on delegating orders for now.

Good move girls.

I immediately created clones and had them sharing my position standing besides me above my teammates. They knew what I wanted them to do, so they immediately manifested their own dark shadows and cut the approaching nets to shreds.

His dark shadow, as previously pointed, wasn't like Tokoyami. It was like him, but carried a more terrifying and grim look than the chicken of darkness' did.

Their voices were chilling whispers. "I am here!" "Plus ultra!" "Go beyond!" "Candy store!" "Hehehe!"

Gotta make sure it doesn't end up sharing one of my secrets, it would be a pain in the ass to deal with.

But regardless, my clones' actions were only a momentary resolution for the problem. The girls were preparing to throw something else at me.

I can't give them room to strategize.

So I erased Uraraka's quirk and got rid of their high ground advantage.

"Got you now bastard!" I heard an angry shout from behind me.

"Why do you insist on making things easier for me?" I replied while motioning to push him away with my Poltergeist quirk.

But to my surprise, Inasa was expecting that I would react like that and timed to blow a strong wind current towards my team. My headband almost flew away if not from my quick reaction time while activating OFA.

A flick was more than enough to push back Inasa's attacks. But the fucker was used to it enough to fish Bakugou back to their formation. "Kirishima, charge!"

As his team began to gain momentum, I recalled my clones and noticed from the other sides Iida and Reiko's groups were approaching from behind.

I took off my broken neck gear and shouted out loud again.

IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?

This time I amped more than I was aiming for.

A visible sound wave pushed at the same time Bakugou's explosion blast, Todoroki's ice wall and Reiko's telekinetic pull.

Even my teammates began to feel some of the effects, possibly because I surpassed Mei's gear limit.

Thankfully, they were still capable of moving, although now they began to speak loudly now.

"I guess my precious baby needs some upgrades." Mei remarked almost in a shouting manner.

"Should we go retrieve their headbands?" Asked Midoriya out loud.

"No need for that." I shouted back and lifted my arm in victory, making it obvious to everyone watching.

"Time's up! And with that, the second round is officially over!" Said Present Mic drawing cheers from the audience that was cheering my name. "Wow! What just happened folks? It looked like a war occurred on that segment of the arena! Awesome!" He proceeded to count everybody's points. "Now let's take a look at who our top competitors are! In first place, team Monoma!"

We celebrated our victory while I proceeded to heal them with my special spray. Good thing I found a way less awkward for me to do so with Recovery girl's quirk.

It's not ideal, but no one can argue with its results.

"Second place, Team Yoarashi!"

I turned to them and saw that they were doing the same, with Inasa and Kirishima cheering Kinoko up.

Except for Bakugou, he looked like he was cursed to become the next Endeavor.

"In third place, team Iida!"

Tenya appeared to be thanking his teammates for their efforts and apologizing for his mistakes.

And I see that Todoroki was not faring any better than Bakugou from that sulking expression. Though to his credit, he manages his sour mood much more silently.

Not really that subtly though.

"And in fourth is... uh... guys! I think we have a problem here!" Present Mic's voice faltered. "We have a tie! Team Yanagi and Team Shinso had managed to get the same amount of points! How can that be? What do the jurors say about that?"

After a brief moment as the narrator went to ask for orientation, I had to admit that I was really impressed.

Shinso's group managed to match the girls, despite the fact they started so far behind. Not to mention that the girls also had managed to capture some headbands before engaging against my group.

I see a lot of groups trying to wrap their heads around the fact that they lost their points without noticing.

Congratulations Hitoshi, you went beyond with the tools you had.

"The juries had spoken and they concluded that the game should continue! Both teams have classified!" Present Mic announced to the delight of the audience and to Shinso's relief. "These five teams will advance on to the final round! Now let's take an hour and rest before the rest of the festivities! See you soon!"

Paying attention to the other teams, I noticed their expressions varied noticeably.

While some looked relieved that it was finally over, others had a look of dejection and some even couldn't resist sharing a few tears.

The greedy stares I received at the beginning were now more of respect and even fear.

I guess I forgot from time to time how unnaturally powerful my copied quirks were when enhanced by OFA.

A single flick traveled all the way through the grandstands.

I wonder if mother and dad are enjoying the show.

And also Toga.

Before communicating with my clones through our shared link, I joined my classmates and saw that they were already discussing the results.

Tsuyu was visibly disappointed, to the point of puffing a few times. But she was nice enough to congratulate Kinoko for advancing to the next level.

"Monoma, you were keeping some secrets from us! I had no idea that you could counter electrical attacks as well." The bubble of cuteness began to interrogate me and jump like a kid.

"Hehe! You never asked Uraraka!" I laughed back at her antics and patted her in the head as she pouted cutely.

Pretty sure I heard Kaminari mumbling something, but decided to not bother the man while he was suffering. Perhaps a clone might help ease the humiliation.

"We need to talk." Todoroki said to me out of the blue.

"Sure, why not." I replied casually with hands in the pockets, I summoned another clone and ordered him to pick up something for me to eat.

The others around me were unsure, but I just nodded at them and said that we would meet each other at the cafeteria.

I followed the conflicted boy around the stadium until we reached another entrance, this one also being for faculty and students only.

He stood there, staring at me.

"Oh please, don't say you brought me here to confess!" I remarked. "This cold and intimidating approach is your way of breaking the ice? If it works for, I say go for it. But you see..."

"Stop joking around!" He barked at me, interrupting my talk.

"So stop wasting my time, will ya? I'm famished. Besides, would you like for me to make you a muzzle? You know, barking isn't regular for those without canine mutation." I teased him again.

This time he began checking me out. I knew he was trying to read me, to look for weakness or stuff like that.

"Man, I'm not into..."

"I don't know how to beat you." He finally spilled the beans. "I think if I want to accomplish that promise, I might need to break another." He dramatically stared at his right hand. "No one noticed, but your powers are unrealistically powerful. I can't find actual limitations or even patterns besides you choosing to use one quirk at a time. You said you can copy quirk's, but it goes beyond that, doesn't it? You seem to instinctively know each quirk's weakness and strengths. I also noticed you copying the techniques from the original quirk's user, like seeing you excelling with using my ice side, but not showing the same skill with my fire side." He returned to look at me, narrowing his heterochromatic eyes. "But the only quirk I saw you using in conjunction with all the others, it's All Might's."

"Interesting observation, missed a feel for details here and there, but otherwise you nailed it." I gave him a thumbs up.

"I see that you two are very much alike. Be it through some kind of blood relation or simply him choosing you as his successor." He continued. "My father is Endeavor, you must've heard of him, which means that you are aware that he is the number two hero. So if you are connected to the number one hero in some way, that would mean that I have even more reason to beat you."

"Please, do explain it to me. I'm afraid you lost me there with that logic." I pretended ignorance just to have him telling it to me before I tried to intervene in some way.

"My old man is ambitious, he aims for the top. He used his power to make a name for himself as a hero. But he was never able to best All Might. The symbol of peace is a living proof of his failure. He's still at it though, trying to take down All Might. One way or another." He told me.

"So if I'm not mistaken, it means you are his insurance? That's... pathetic... sorry, I do admire his work as a hero though, make no mistake. But it really makes him less than extraordinary in my eyes." I said. "To rely on quirk marriages..."

Todoroki was surprised with my quick comprehension but managed to nod back. "He has plenty of money to throw at his problems. He convinced my mother's relatives to get his hands on her quirk. It's so annoying... I refuse to be a tool for that scumbag!"

He told me how he got his scar, in a non joker way, and explained his reserves of using his father's quirk.

"You mean this one?" I opened my left hand and a small flame manifested in my palm. "Are you trying to tell me that this is your father? You think it has nothing to do with you?" I began chuckling.

"It's not polite to laugh at the others, especially after they told you so much about their own lives." Todoroki said coldly.

I ignored his attempt of intimidation. "You know, I talked with Inasa. Asked him why he hated your guts so much. You know what he told me?" After receiving a questioning look from him I continued. "He told me your eyes were just like your father's, lacking the passion for what you do. Just like Endeavor, you see this hero career, as something secondary to your own ambitions and goals. I can relate to that in a way. But... a real hero would never give less than his very best, bringing hope and inspiration for the people. For fucks sake man, it's on our school motto!"

"You dare to compare me to him? You don't know what you are talking about! Don't lecture me!" He berated me.

"You might not believe in me, that's okay. But let me ask you this... do you really want to be a hero? That stupid bully hiding right there has a better understanding of what the spirit of a hero is like." I pointed to the side. "And he's the one that constantly speaks of killing!"

"Who do you called stupid? Damn thief!" Taking his cue, Bakugou showed himself.

"Silence, or I will teleport you to the U.S.J!" I warned him.

I think I'm getting used to intimidating others, seeing that he didn't even reply back after my threat.

"I'm not a purist that will oppose you from doing altruistic deeds for your own selfish interests. But as someone who is really trying to help you, I'm telling you to get your shit together man!" I told Todoroki. "I think it's fair to assume you want to be a hero, or otherwise you would've just chosen another line of work. What better way to tell your father to fuck off than to not enter the most prestigious High School for the hero course in all of japan?! Or even better, to not enter the hero career!"

"I never..." He tried to speak, but I didn't allow it.

"Shut up you too! I have no idea what kind of a person your mother is, but despite her unforgivable act against you, if she's a decent human being, she wouldn't want this for you." The fire in my hand intensified. "You have your own quirk, your own individuality... if you ignore this part of you, if you think you will be less by using your fire... then I think I'm wasting my time trying to save you. You are not a prisoner of your lineage, the only one that can decide if you are going to rise above your tragic backstory is you."

I stopped after paraphrasing his own mother and walked towards Bakugou. "You want to talk as well, huh? Come along then, I'm hungry!" I told him as I headed towards the portal I just opened.

He grunted but followed me.

Left behind was only Todoroki, brooding as usual.

I'm no therapist, but I hope I was able to wake him up. At least I hope his recent defeats will show him he isn't powerful enough to rely only on his ice.

Now I have to deal with Lord Explosion murder... sighs, I'm starving!

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We arrived at the cafeteria and took a place, before some of my close friends approached to talk, I sent a clone to allow free time with my troublemaker classmate.

Acting skills are proving to be more helpful than actual therapy knowledge. Which is scary if I don't really know what I'm doing.

Fingers crossed it won't be a total disaster.

Yeah I know, optimism has always been my strong suit.

Anyways.

Just the two of us seated alone, staring at one another. Better get done with this already.

"It would be very difficult for anyone to make a worst first impression than you mister "burst to victory"." I told him.

"Well screw you!" He stood up shouting and tried to intimidate me, but his quirk wasn't responding to his command. "What the fuck?!"

He looked at me and understood what was happening, my piercing red eyes were a dead giveaway.

"Since we've known each other you've been a belligerent, unapologetic and borderline sadistic bully that took joy on beating up on those weaker than you." I told him.

Seeing that he couldn't really threaten me without his quirk, he sat down and grumbled from time to time. My clones around us were probably another incentive to behave.

Dude, I feel like a mob boss or something of the sorts.

"You've always bragged about how great you are and berated anyone who dared to think that they could even compare to you." I continued, ignoring his fiery stare.

'Such difference between you and Todoroki.' I remarked to myself, but didn't stop my monologue.

"You are reprehensible, arrogant, stubborn, shit-talking, mean spirited, short tempered, condescending overconfident, loud mouth, energetic, passionate for fighting and winning, obsessed with your rivals, abrasive and aggressive." I told him and stood there as he shouted angrily at me.

"Oh, and love to shout like a jackass. Almost forgot about, thanks for the reminder." I joked. "In other words, you are basically a nuisance at the best of times, and a bully at the worst."

To my surprise, the dirty mouth naruto just stood there, actually listening to what I had to say.

"I know that you are proud, confident and want everyone in the world to know it." I said to him, eye to eye. "You are 100% sure of your own abilities and I would say with good reasons, since despite your shortcomings, you have both incredible natural power and a remarkable mind that allows you take advantage of that."

His expression was a little hard to read, I think he had never been praised by someone that didn't polished his apple on a daily basis. But his confusion was easy to read.

"You are driven to overcome those that you see as worthy rivals and hungry for any opportunity that you can find to prove that you are the best." I accepted some food from one of my clones. "But your overbearing personality pushes everyone away, leaving you with few friends."

"Like I care for friends." He said casually, a first since our conversation started.

" I guess that's for you to decide in the end. But deep down I see you want to be the best that ever was." I bite my food and drink a little. "You want to surpass even All Might."

That obviously caught his attention.

"But your biggest failure has always been, despite all your raw power and fighting abilities, for all your intelligence for when it comes to analyzing other people's quirks and strategies, you suck when dealing with people." That gained an arrogant snicker from him. "You can't properly express yourself or understand others, except notably when it comes to picking apart their fighting techniques."

"You want to end up like Endeavor?" I asked, knowing that he had heard my talk with Todoroki since the beginning. "You might climb to the second spot with your feats and accomplishments. But no one will see you as number one material, even if you managed to achieve the highest tally of resolved cases, surpassing everyone."

"Shut up about things you have no clue about! I will be the indisputable number one, they will have to acknowledge me." And the angry Bakugou was back.

"I see that your main tool for coping with things is to always get mad." I remarked and he faltered a little.

Man, beginning to feel an urge to blink.

"I don't want to go full psychologists here, but your obsession of proving your superiority over others is a hallmark of a classic inferiority complex." I decided to get direct with him.

"Don't fuck with me mother$&@:er! What's all this shit?" He grunted at me, but I just ignored.

"Deep down I would argue that you are terrified at the possibility that you may not correspond to the expectations placed on you by others and yourself for having such a strong quirk." I stuck his nerve purposefully. "To cope with this and avoid admitting the possibility of failure or being too weak, you've projected all of your feelings of inferiority onto the quirkless Midoriya."

He winded his eyes before narrowing them and clenched his jaw.

We both looked to the side and saw a more confident Midoriya talking with some of class 1A studies, alongside a girl I didn't recognize.

"Whenever he showed signs of not knowing his place, you lashed out because you interpreted that as an insult and a threat to your self-image." I told him while he was restraining himself to not rampage again and prove my point. "Look, I see you are not simply an asshole for the sake of it, I believe that if you can understand your own shortcomings and misunderstandings while working on your strengths, you can become a better version of yourself."

I wasn't erasing his quirk anymore, and didn't order my clone to do so.

If he wants to be a fool and fight at the cafeteria, so be it.

"Since we were kids, you've always been competent in doing everything, so this shouldn't be impossible." I reasoned with him. "All you need is the will to do it."

"You are the one being arrogant, thinking of yourself so superior, the grownup mature adult since elementary school." He said.

" Haha! Not at all!" I laughed at his response. "But I think pretty confident that deep down under all your bravado and reckless behavior, you are still a social inept kid that has no idea of what you are doing." I finished my food before continuing. "You have a long way to go before becoming the hero you want to be, but differently from Todoroki, you truly are the living embodiment of going plus ultra."

"I just suggest you rework your "art of anger" mindset. And to fight with everything you got." I stood up and said something before leaving. "If we end up fighting, know that I won't hold back and I will beat you on your own game." My palm began popping due to small explosions.

I left and my clones followed after me.

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(26/10/2020)

*Hope this chapter is of your liking. Anything you wish to ask, feel free to do so.

Thanks as always for your attention and please be safe.

Any problems with my writing, just point them out and I will correct them as soon as possible.

Apologies for the Shoto and Katsuki haters that might not have liked this chapter.