Chapter 51: Managment Intervention

Recap:

Though one long thought rang in Shoji's mind, 'Place in the upcoming sports festival... no, rather, we've got to win that.

If the past years are to go by, then it's possible for the finals to be some kind of team tournament, like two years ago when it was a group of three defending the crown final. And did you think of how we were going to beat up those monsters?

'We go PLUS ULTRA!'

Those words echoed loudly in Shoji's mind, and he couldn't help but reminisce about the time he had spent with Suijin only a few weeks ago. As he looked at the tournament bracket, the memories of their spirited discussions came rushing back.

They had strolled through their neighborhood, just the two of them, with their dreams and ambitions illuminating their path. Shoji and Suijin had shared their goals, their aspirations, and their unwavering determination. The bond they had formed during those conversations was unbreakable, a testament to their shared journey.

As Shoji considered the challenges ahead in the tournament, he couldn't help but feel a deep attachment to the past. Those late-night talks under the starry sky across the window sill, their shared laughter, and the belief that they could achieve anything together had fueled their spirits.

Now, with the tournament before him, he couldn't help but think back to those moments and the promise they had made to each other. The determination in his heart was as strong as ever, and he knew that he had to carry the torch of their shared dreams and go PLUS ULTRA, just as he hoped Suijin would as well.

Excitement boils through his blood as thoughts of the final ring through his mind.

'Wait for me, Suijin.'

____________________________________________________________________________

"Oh, crap, I fell asleep!"

"Dude, how'd you fall asleep at the UA Sports Festival of all things?"

"Man, the first round kicked my butt, and you know my quirk's properties. I get too tired easily. But enough of that. How's the fighting going?"

Instead of responding, the boy from the General Course simply pointed behind him to another UA student.

The plumper boy had a head of blond hair cascading upwards in swirls, making a blond cylinder of hair sit atop his head.

Such was Fumitake, a member of the UA Management course.

'Woah, wonder how his hair gets when there's a breeze.'

"Can you explain what happened in the past matches for me?"

Getting up out of his seat, he walked over to the container-headed man and asked.

"I wanted to get a 24/7 stream... but my backup camera on top of the stadium should be able to get it. Fine, I can practice my quick recapping skills this way as well."

The boy walked over and paused his camera that was set up on a tripod; he then played it back to the start of the first round, setting it at 3x speed, before taking a deep breath.

"Ah, I forgot, but unfortunately, due to the crowd, I couldn't get any audio, though I plan on adding a montage of music before uploading this for my class assignment."

"The first match was Ibara Shiozaki vs. Eijirou Kirishima; this was perhaps the least interesting match as it started with Shiozaki sending her vines after Kirishima. The red-headed boy gripped them and tore them apart with his immense strength, but that's about all the interesting things that happened."

"She then sent various vines to grab onto him, and with so many parts, he failed to defend himself and became tangled up. She then dragged him to the edge and threw him over, ending his run at the festival."

'He's right; how uneventful that was.'

Although the spectacle of one of those Class 1A's dangling in the air without those smug faces he saw in the opening made this match better to watch,

"Next was a slightly more interesting match: Hitoshi Shinso of the General Course vs. Hanta Sero of Class 1A. Though it was also simple, as immediately when it started, insults flew out of Shinso's voice, and Sero, angered, responded. After a couple of bouts of conversation, right when Sero was about to attack, the fight was over."

On the screen, he could see how the two got into a verbal argument, and right when the Class 1A man jumped off from the ground, he stopped in his tracks, landing on the pavement sprawled out before being carried off the edge of the stadium, resulting in Shinso's win.

"After that, the least quirk usage match happened between two fellow students from Class 1A: Bakugo Katsuki and Denki Kaminari. The skinnier boy was visibly scared, so the second the announcer said 'start,' he created an electrical charge generated around him in his immediate vicinity. While he did that, he blindly charged toward the ash-haired boy."

The yellow electricity was visible as it danced around the boy, who shut his eyes, going into a blind charge.

"But a simple explosion from his hands, an application that he showed no reaction to as if he was used to it, sent him into the sky. Then a devious expression popped up on his face as he aimed his hands at the ground."

He didn't know how Fumitake said this was boring; this was perhaps the most action-packed match next.

'Would he explode everything below him? How would Kaminari respond?'

His blood was boiling, wanting to see the battle between quirks, yet he was ultimately left disappointed, as the next scene showed Kaminari not noticing his opponent was in the sky and running off the stage.

His silence was palpable, as the people in the stands in the video replicated it.

"Ahem, and that's the end of that. Oh, the next match is starting soon, so let's finish this up. Next was Mina Ashido vs. Itsuka Kendo, perhaps the most mismatched when referring to the quirks of the two parties."

The crowd seemed to notice as well; in the video, everyone had an apprehensive look on their faces when this fight started.

"And on her part, Kendo put up quite the fight, with her not relenting when Mina's acid visibly burned her skin. But ultimately, her tenacity couldn't carry her to victory as she passed out on the stage."

'A pity, though, that was nice of Ashido to carry her off the stage.'

"Then Shoto Todoroki vs. Izuku Midoriya was the most action-packed event."

"GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO–"

Hurriedly, Fumitake said, "I'll finish, then tell you about the last fight later. Todoroki started off sending barrages of ice at Midoriya, whose body gradually suffered under the brunt of his massive power."

'Repetitive bombardment tactics? If he kept that up, then Midoriya should eventually lose.'

"Yet an inspiring speech from him about how much Todoroki needs to be his own person and use his own power caused that tactic to stop, and the two of them had one huge clash. Midoriya was rushed to the nurse's bay with multiple broken limbs after being flung out of bounds, whereas Todoroki used his ice to keep himself inbounds."

"Seriously, dude, how did you sleep through even THAT?"

Seeing his friend butting in on their conversation, he was about to give a rebuttal. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the two current contestants hopping up on stage.

"The current favorite to win the whole thing is Todoroki, followed by Shiozaki, then Bakugo."

With that, the conversation temporarily ended as the three boys, along with the rest of the crowd, turned to watch as two Class 1A students clashed.

Shhh.

"Who do you think will win the next two matches?"

"Isn't it obvious? The next two have Tenya Ida and Momo Yaoyorozu; it's pretty clear who will win."

"I guess I get Ida since he is part of that family and he's his brother, but Yaoyorozu? She's not even part of a hero family, nor is anyone in her family a hero."

"Seriously? She's probably been afforded the best education since birth. Not to mention, I heard her quirk has to do with gadgets and stuff—things you don't need the best hero to teach you."

Conversation raged as the crowds speculated on who would win the next two rounds.

"WE HAVE A STAR IN CLASS 1A WHO SURPASSED THE LIKES OF SHOTO TODOROKI AND TENYA IDA IN CERTAIN ASPECTS: OCHACO URARAKA. HER OPPONENT IS THE INHERITOR OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS YAOYOROZU FAMILY, MOMO YAOYOROZU!"

The two ladies stepped onto the rectangular slab of cement, easily remembering the rules they had been told.

'You pass out or step out of the bounds of the rectangle, and you're eliminated.'

"Momo, I have my own reasons for being here, so I won't lose."

The taller girl nodded her head and said, "Mm, I'd have it no other way; I also refuse to disgrace my family, so Ochaco, please oblige."

"START!"

The fight commenced with a burst of intensity. Momo utilized her quirk, Creti, with remarkable precision, manifesting a flashbang from her exposed skin. The stadium was momentarily filled with a blinding light, leaving the audience in awe of her abilities.

Ochaco, quick on her feet, instinctively ripped off her shirt, revealing a sleeveless black undershirt she had strategically chosen for this confrontation. Using the fabric, she shielded her eyes from the searing radiance, demonstrating her resourcefulness.

Ochaco cautiously advanced, but a gut feeling urged her to dodge left. Her decision was well-founded, as bullets whizzed by her previous position, narrowly missing her.

"AND THE FIGHT STARTS WITH A BANG AS YAOYOROZU DOESN'T RELENT!"

Ochaco, having regained her bearings, launched herself at her opponent with determination. However, Momo refused to back down, deploying an array of weapons, from rubber bullets to a staff, even resorting to minor grenades. The ferocity of their battle intensified, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats.

After several minutes of this high-speed cat-and-mouse game, the deadlock was broken. A well-placed flashbang impaired Ochaco's vision. She was utterly fatigued, and her dodging skills were compromised.

Even as her intuition screamed at her to move, she couldn't react in time. Momo had cleverly devised an ingenious trap, employing two extended wires that sent a paralyzing electrical signal through Ochaco's chest. The once-agile contender now convulsed on the arena floor, helpless and vulnerable.

Momo, though equally winded, admired Ochaco's endurance. Her plan had been to finish the fight swiftly, as her quirk's effectiveness was closely linked to her energy reserves, but Ochaco had proven to be an unyielding adversary.

The balance of power had shifted, yet Ochaco remained within reach of victory. All she needed was one touch, and she knew it. She didn't mind prolonging the battle for a few more minutes, still in control of her destiny.

Momo sighed, relieved that her stunning and tazing strategy had worked. She realized the limits of her quirk and the importance of swift victories. She also couldn't help but admire Ochaco's unwavering determination.

As Momo approached her fallen opponent, she was shocked to find Ochaco not burdened by the shame of imminent defeat. Instead, a triumphant smile graced her face, revealing her indomitable spirit.

Momo desperately attempted to jump away, but the platform she was standing on began to float erratically, destabilizing her footing. In a final act of defiance, Ochaco summoned her last ounce of strength to make physical contact with Momo.

"Float!"

The unexpected turn of events unfolded rapidly. Momo ascended uncontrollably, soaring higher and higher into the sky. Her initial shock gave way to a regretful realization that she had missed her opportunity to respond.

As Momo reached the skies above the UA stadium, her defeat was sealed, and Ochaco was declared the victor.

With a sense of pride and determination, Ochaco smiled at her victory, while immediately upon landing thanks to her teacher, Momo proceeded to the Class 1A waiting room, where she found the empty aftermath of her struggle…nothing.

  Ochaco was elated, however, her celebration was subdued as she saw her friend Momo struggling to fight back tears disappearing from everyone's sight.

Tsu offered words of comfort and support to Ochaco, reminding her to be proud of her remarkable feat. While Ochaco was preoccupied with her friend's emotional turmoil, she ascended to the stands to witness the final match of the first round of eight.