Chapter 9: UA Sports Festival (Part 1)(Edited)

As we reached the gate, Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers, filling the arena with excitement. "It's the U.A. Sports Festival, the one time of the year when our fledgling heroes compete in a ruthless grand battle. First up... You all know who I'm talking about—the miraculous rising stars who brushed off a villain attack with their steely willpower. It's Class 1-A of the hero course!"

With that introduction, we stepped into the arena to a thunderous applause from the crowd. The sheer size of the audience made everyone a bit jittery, but I rallied our spirits, saying, "Come on, guys, just smile and wave!" I took the lead, waving enthusiastically to the spectators.

Lida, ever the voice of reason, commented, "And we are expected to put our best performance in front of this crowd."

"Of course," I replied. "This is also a part of being a hero. Better to get used to it early, right?"

Lida nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of this exposure.

Following us, Class 1-B made their entrance, and Present Mic continued, "Following Class 1-B, it's Class C, D, and E of General Studies. And here come Classes F, G, and H of the Support Course, followed by the Business Course." Each class entered the arena amidst cheers, the anticipation and excitement in the air palpable.

With all the first-years gathered in the arena, the excitement in the air was palpable. Suddenly, the R-Rated Hero Midnight made her entrance as the referee, her presence commanding immediate attention. Standing on the podium, she cracked her whip, instantly drawing everyone's focus.

"Now for the athletes' oath," she announced. Her appearance elicited cheers from the crowd and the hero scouts alike, her confidence and charisma undeniable. Tokoyami, however, couldn't help but murmur, "R-Rated? Should she really be at a high school event?"

Midnight, with her sharp hearing, caught Tokoyami's comment and quickly responded, "Pipe down!" before continuing. "Your student representative is, from Class 1-A, Leo."

As I stepped forward, the arena fell into a hushed anticipation, all eyes on me as I prepared to deliver the oath.

As I climbed onto the podium, the crowd's murmur quieted, and everyone focused their attention on me. Taking a deep breath, I delivered a succinct but heartfelt oath, pledging our commitment to fairness and sportsmanship. The moment I finished, a wave of applause swept through the audience and my fellow students, and I felt a surge of pride and excitement. I stepped down from the podium, nodding in appreciation as the cheers continued.

Midnight nodded at me, acknowledging my oath, then turned back to the crowd. "Alright, without any delay, let's get the first event started!" she announced with a flourish. Uraraka, standing next to me, whispered, "Everything at U.A. is always 'without delay,' isn't it?"

Midnight continued, her voice amplified by the microphone, "These are the qualifiers. It's in this stage that many are sent home crying every year. And the first event this year is..." She dramatically gestured to the screen behind her as it lit up with the words "Obstacle Course Race."

"The obstacle course race," she explained. "It's a race between every member of these eleven classes. A four-kilometer lap around the stadium. You know our school preaches freedom in all things," she snickered. "So as long as you don't go off course, anything is fair. Now, racers, to your positions!"

We all exchanged glances, the excitement and tension in the air almost palpable. This was it—the moment we had been preparing for. We moved to our starting positions, hearts pounding, ready to give it our all.

As we lined up at the starting line, I glanced over at Midoriya, who was staring ahead with a focused, determined look. I nudged him slightly. "Hey, Midoriya," I said, "how about a little bet? Let's see who can make it to the finish line first."

Kirishima, standing on my other side, chuckled. "Who wants to race against you? You can just teleport straight to the finish line as soon as the light turns green."

Midoriya nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Leo. It's tough to compete against teleportation."

I laughed, waving off their concerns. "Don't worry. I won't be teleporting all the way to the finish line. That'd be no fun. I might flash a few meters ahead here and there, but that's it. So, are you in?"

Midoriya thought for a moment before nodding and raising his fist. "Okay. First to the finish."

I grinned, bumping my fist against his. "First to the finish." We both readied ourselves for the race. I chose to challenge Midoriya because, out of everyone, he's the one I think can give me a real run for my money, especially since we're here to show off our skills.

As the starting lights began to light up, Midoriya and I activated our quirks. Green arcs of electricity started crackling around Midoriya, who had been training hard and could now use 10% of One For All effortlessly. Red arcs surrounded me as I prepared to dash forward. The display caught everyone's attention.

"Oh man, looks like Leo's serious," Kirishima commented, impressed.

"Yeah," Kaminari agreed. "But who do you think will finish first, Leo or Midoriya?"

"Definitely Leo," Kirishima replied confidently.

As soon as all three lights lit up, we launched into action. Midoriya burst forward, and I used my Space Flash to propel myself ahead of the crowd, racing alongside him. To the spectators, it looked like two streaks—one green and one red—blazing a path ahead of the others. Todoroki and Bakugo were following closely behind, but the rest of the contestants were bottlenecked at the small gate. Todoroki made it worse by freezing the ground as he slid forward, making it difficult for the others to pass.

By this point, Midoriya and I had already reached the first obstacle, leaving the rest of the competitors scrambling to catch up.

As we reached the area, a robotic voice echoed through the air, "Multiple targets acquired." Recognizing the familiar sound, I smirked, "Oh, the zero-point villains from the entrance exams. I took you all down back then, and I could easily do it again. But I'll let the others have some fun this time."

Present Mic's voice boomed across the stadium, "Every obstacle course needs obstacles! Here comes the first barrier: Robo Inferno!" Since I decided not to fight, I dashed between the groups of robots, skillfully weaving through them. Midoriya was right behind me, keeping pace effortlessly. Together, we quickly maneuvered out of the robot-infested zone and headed towards the next obstacle.

Present Mic's voice crackled with excitement, "Would you look at that! Class 1-A's Leo and Midoriya are breezing past those robots like they're nothing! An incredible display of agility and skill! And check out Class 1-A's Todoroki—he's literally freezing his way through the robots and taking down others in the process. This guy is ice-cold!"

Present Mic continued with excitement, "And it looks like Todoroki's plan worked. Class 1-A's Kirishima was crushed!" But no sooner had he said that than Kirishima broke out of the debris, yelling, "That bastard! Anyone else would have been flattened." Beside him, another student emerged from the rubble, shouting just as loudly. "Ouch, it looks like Tetsutetsu from Class 1-B was also crushed. And would you look at that! The current leaders are all from Class 1-A," Present Mic exclaimed.

As Midoriya and I reached the second obstacle, Present Mic's voice boomed over the speakers, "So, you all thought the first obstacle was a piece of cake, huh? Well, how about the second? Fall, and you're out! You gotta crawl across if you wanna make it. This is The Fall!" Looking at the tight ropes and small islands spread out before us, I smirked. "Interesting, but not for me," I said. Turning to Midoriya, I added, "See you on the other side." With that, I leaped into the air, flying over the entire obstacle with ease.

Midoriya grinned, "No way you're getting ahead that easily." He followed, jumping across the small gaps and running across the tight ropes over the larger gaps. Present Mic's commentary was filled with awe, "Whoa! Look at that, folks! An incredible display of quirk mastery! Leo from Class 1-A has just taken to the skies, soaring over the entire obstacle like it's nothing! And look at Midoriya, nimbly making his way across those tight ropes and gaps with a grace that belies the danger below. These two are really setting the bar high for the rest of the competition!"

The audience was buzzing with excitement, with spectators exclaiming, "Those kids in the lead just can't be stopped! And the one leading the pack, his quirk is unbelievably strong." Another chimed in, "And the one in third place is unstoppable too. His quirk is impressive, and he's incredibly athletic and perceptive." "No kidding," someone else agreed.

One hero in the stands noted, "You know, that kid is the son of Endeavor." Another hero replied, "No wonder. He's got the blood of the number two hero. I bet every pro will be scrambling to get those three as their sidekicks."

Present Mic's voice rang out, "The leaders just keep on going, while the rest are bunched up behind them. Since our racers don't know how many will qualify, all they can do is aim for first place. Which seems impossible since our leaders have reached the final barrier: The Minefield. This minefield is a deadly carpet, but a quick glance is enough to reveal the mines. So keep both eyes open and watch your step. I should mention these mines don't pack a deadly punch, but they're loud and flashy—you might need a change of underwear when it's all over!"

Eyeing the minefield, I smirked. "This can't stop me." I flew over the minefield with ease, crossing the finish line first. Present Mic announced, "And would you look at that! We have a winner: Leo from Class 1-A!" The auditorium erupted into cheers.

Soon after, Midoriya crossed the finish line, followed closely by Bakugo, who managed to overtake Todoroki, finishing third and fourth respectively. One by one, the other competitors crossed the finish line, the audience's cheers growing louder with each racer who completed the course.

Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium, "You all can take a breather. We'll go over the standings in a bit." As I was resting with Midoriya, Uraraka approached us, saying, "Way to go, Leo, Midoriya. That was awesome. But first and second place? I'm so jealous." Nearby, I noticed Lida revising his performance. "To lose a race with my quirk... It's clear I have a lot of progress to make."

Soon, everyone finally crossed the finish line. A few minutes later, Midnight's voice boomed through the arena, "Okay, it's finally time to release the results."

1. Class 1-A, Leo

2. Class 1-A, Izuku Midoriya

3. Class 1-A, Katsuki Bakugo

4. Class 1-A, Shoto Todoroki

5. Class 1-B, Ibara Shiozaki

6. Class 1-B, Juzo Honenuki

7. Class 1-A, Tenya Lida

8. Class 1-A, Fumikage Tokoyami

9. Class 1-A, Eijiro Kirishima

10. Class 1-A, Hanta Sero

11. Class 1-B, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

12. Class 1-A, Mashirao Ojiro

13. Class 1-B, Yosetsu Awase

14. Class 1-A, Tsuyu Asui

15. Class 1-A, Mezo Shoji

16. Class 1-A, Rikido Sato

17. Class 1-A, Ochako Uraraka

18. Class 1-A, Momo Yaoyorozu

19. Class 1-A, Mina Ashido

20. Class 1-A, Denki Kaminari

(The rest are same as Canon)

Midnight continued, "The top 42 from this qualification round will move on. As for those below, don't worry, we've got another way for you to show your stuff. Now, it's time for the main event. The press will be jumping off their seats, so give it your all!"

She continued, "Now for the second event! I already know what it is, of course. Dying of suspense?!. Well then, next up is..." She paused for a while then pointed dramatically at the screen, which displayed Cavalry Battle.

Immediately, the arena buzzed with confusion and excitement.

"Cavalry Battle?!" Kaminari repeated, trying to grasp the concept.

Tsuyu asked, "So how exactly are we teaming up?"

Midnight explained, "Participants will form teams of two to four members each, and get into a horse-and-rider formation. The rules are the same as a normal Cavalry Battle: snag your opponent's headbands while protecting your own. But there's a twist. Each of you has been assigned points based on your rankings in the last event."

Sato interrupted, "So we earn points like in the entrance exam? Sounds simple."

I quickly interjected, "Not really. It definitely won't be that easy."

This interruption clearly annoyed Midnight, who cracked her whip sharply, silencing everyone. "I'm about to explain, so shut up already!" she barked, stunning the room into silence. Once calm, she resumed, "Ahem! Anyway, your individual point values start at five, from the bottom. So, the student who took 42nd is worth five points, 41st is worth ten points, and so on. But... our first-place participant is worth... ten million points."

As if on cue, every eye in the arena turned towards me, their intensity unmistakable. It felt like I was standing alone against the world. But I just shrugged and responded nonchalantly, "Ok."

Midnight, clearly taken aback by my calmness, paused for a moment. But being the pro she was, she quickly composed herself and continued, "The higher-ranked students are the ones to aim for. This survival game is your chance for a comeback. It's anyone's game. As you've heard countless times since joining U.A., this is Plus Ultra!"

Despite maintaining a cool facade, I couldn't ignore the weight of everyone's stares. 'So this is what it feels like at the top,' I thought, the pressure starting to creep in. 'But I guess this is just another form of training. The real question is... who's going to dare team up with me? I need at least three more members to play, but who's willing to take that risk?'

Midnight wrapped up her explanation, "The match will last 15 minutes. Each team's points are determined by its members, and the rider will wear a headband displaying the total number of points. Throughout the match, you'll compete to grab each other's points while maintaining the ones you have. Headbands must be worn around the neck or higher, and the more you grab, the harder it will be to manage. Even if your headband is taken or your horse formation breaks, remember—it's not over until the match ends."

Momo quickly analyzed the situation. "With 42 contestants, that means there will be 10 to 12 teams on the field at all times."

I nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Even if someone loses their headband, they'll likely come back with a desperate counterattack, so you'll need to stay on guard."

Everyone around us nodded, clearly understanding the stakes. Midnight continued, "Quirks are allowed, so this will be a brutal battle. However, it's still a Cavalry Battle, so maliciously attacking another team with the intention of making them fall will result in a red card and disqualification. You now have 15 minutes to form your teams."

As soon as Midnight ended her explanation, I braced myself for the hard part—finding teammates. But it turned out my concerns were completely unnecessary. The moment the announcement ended, the entire Class 1-A, minus Bakugo and Todoroki, crowded around me.

It was almost comical. Everyone was eager to team up with me, and I couldn't help but smirk at the irony. Here I was, worrying about who would dare join me, and now I had almost too many options. I raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, it seems like I'm more popular than I thought."

The others chuckled, and we started discussing strategies. The challenge now was deciding who would be on my team.

I announced, "Okay, everyone. I have a rough idea of what each of you can do with your quirks, but I still want a brief summary from each of you."

Immediately, everyone started talking at once, eagerly explaining their abilities. I was taken aback by the enthusiasm and quickly raised a hand. "Alright, one at a time, please."

In the control room, a few teachers were watching our interactions. Snipe commented, "Leo's quite popular, isn't he?"

All Might nodded, "Yes, with his quirk and how he's shown his abilities so far, it's no surprise. He's proven himself capable in every challenge."

After the last person finished explaining their quirk, I started analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of each one. Finally, I made up my mind. "First off, I'm glad all of you wanted to team up with me. But as the rules state, I can only have three teammates. So for my team, I choose Midoriya, Tokoyami, and Jiro."

Those who weren't chosen looked disappointed but wished us well and went to form their own teams. Once we were gathered, I laid out our strategy. "Here's the plan. Midoriya, Tokoyami, and I will be the horse. I'll take the front, handling movement and attack, while Midoriya and Tokoyami, you two will guard the back, focusing on defense. Tokoyami, use Dark Shadow to cover our blind spots. Jiro, you're the rider. Your main job is to protect our headband, but if you spot a good chance to steal one from an opponent, go for it. Our priority is defense. We're in the lead, so there's no need to take unnecessary risks. What do you all think? If anyone has suggestions, now's the time to speak up."

Midoriya nodded, deep in thought. "It's a solid plan, Leo. We'll need to be adaptable, but I'm in."

Tokoyami added, "Dark Shadow will cover the blindspots effectively. I agree with the plan."

Jiro, adjusting her earphone jacks, grinned. "I'm ready. Let's do this!"

With everyone on board, I felt confident. "Alright then, let's show them what we're made of!"

As Present Mic's voice rang through the arena, "Let's get a battle cry! Here comes the starting signal! The countdown to this brutal battle royale—Three! Two! One! Start!"—chaos erupted instantly. Everyone rushed toward my team, eyes locked on the ten million points we carried.

Present Mic's commentary followed, "This is the fight for the ten million, and everyone knows it!"

Seeing the wave of competitors closing in, I turned to Jiro and the others and asked, "Ready?" They all nodded. In a flash, I activated my quirk and used Space Flash. In an instant, we vanished from the encirclement, reappearing outside their reach.

Someone from the crowd yelled, "They're out of the encirclement! How are they so fast?!"

Suddenly, another voice shouted, "Hey! Where did our headband go?!"

The battlefield became a frenzy, with teams scrambling to get headbands while quirks and support items flew around in a chaotic dance. Present Mic's voice echoed through the noise, "Whoa! Barely two minutes in, and the battlefield is already chaotic! It's not just the ten million points everyone's after; those other high-rankers are prime targets too!"

Despite the mayhem, our team moved around the arena, dodging attacks effortlessly. Jiro, with her sharp reflexes, snatched a few more headbands from other teams, adding to our points.

It quickly became clear that going after us was futile, and within five minutes of the game starting, a visible shift occurred. Other teams started to avoid us completely, forming what could only be described as a "forbidden zone" around us. No one wanted to risk coming near, knowing it was a losing battle.

I smirked at the sudden calm. "Looks like we've scared them off." Jiro grinned, still holding a headband. "Guess they figured it out the hard way."

"Good," Midoriya said, adjusting his grip. "Now we just need to hold our ground."

For the moment, we had created a safe zone. But the real battle was still far from over.

As I suspected, the battle was far from over. While most teams avoided us, one bold team didn't hesitate. It was Todoroki's team, comprised of Yaoyorozu, Kaminari, and Iida. Todoroki approached with cold determination, exhaling white mist as he said, "We're coming for you."

I simply smirked, unfazed. "Let them come," I thought to myself, feeling confident in our strategy.

Present Mic's voice echoed across the arena, "We're halfway through this brutal cavalry battle, folks! At the seven-minute mark, let's check out how our teams are holding up!" The screen showed the current scores, and he continued, "Wait, what's this? Aside from Team Leo, the other teams from Class 1-A are struggling! What's going on here? Class 1-B is starting to rise, but with only half the match left, who will claim the Ten-Million-Point Crown?"

My team was focused but a bit wary. Midoriya kept glancing at Todoroki's team, clearly anticipating the challenge ahead. Tokoyami tightened his grip, preparing to defend with Dark Shadow, while Jiro remained sharp, scanning for any opportunity or threat."They're coming," Midoriya muttered, a little tense.

I stayed cool, giving him a reassuring glance. "We've got this. Just stick to the plan."With Todoroki's team bearing down, the battle was about to heat up. But for me, this was just another obstacle to breeze through.

As Todoroki's team rushed toward us, Tokoyami muttered, "Looks like they're really aiming for us, Leo."

I nodded, completely unfazed. "Like I said, we got this."

Todoroki's team was a well-oiled machine. Momo immediately began creating an insulator, a clear sign that Kaminari was about to unleash his "Indiscriminate Shock." Just as I predicted, Kaminari shouted, "Indiscriminate Shock, 1.5 million volts!"

Without hesitation, I manipulated the air molecules around us, creating a vacuum barrier. "Vacuum Barrier!" I called out. A thin, invisible dome encircled us a few meters out.

The shock from Kaminari collided with the barrier and fizzled out, unable to pass through the vacuum. Almost simultaneously, Todoroki unleashed an ice wave, but like Kaminari's attack, it halted outside the barrier. The ground around us froze solid, but we remained untouched within the protected zone.

"Nice try," I said calmly, my eyes locked on Todoroki. "But that's not enough to break through."

The crowd gasped at the sight of the battlefield, covered in ice except for the small, untouched circle where we stood. Todoroki's cold stare met mine as he prepared for his next move, but I was ready for anything.

As Todoroki's ice wave froze multiple teams, Present Mic's voice echoed, "What is this now? Todoroki froze a herd of teams with one fierce attack!"

I glanced at Tokoyami's Dark Shadow and noticed its changed size. "Oh, now I get what Kaminari meant," I said, piecing it together. Tokoyami followed my gaze and nodded in understanding.

Seeing Dark Shadow's reaction, I muttered, "Why do I feel like Dark Shadow's more sentient than I thought? He's even got real emotions... but he looks so fickle." Present Mic's voice rang out again, "It's only about a minute left, and Todoroki's made an arena of his own! He's primed to snatch the ten million!"

I sighed, "I guess it's time. Hey, Kaminari, try this." Without missing a beat, I shouted, "Indiscriminate Shock!" A wave of red-black electricity surged from me, spreading across the entire arena. It paralyzed everyone in its path, including Todoroki's team.

"Now its time for the harvest!" I said calmly. We moved through the arena swiftly, grabbing the headbands from each and every team. The battlefield was ours, a one-sided sweep.

Present Mic's voice boomed in awe, "Would you look at that, folks?! What a perfectionist! Leo just wiped out the entire arena with one fierce move, completely securing first place!"

As the clock ticked down, Present Mic led the countdown: "10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! Time's up! First Place, Team Leo!" The crowd erupted in cheers, overwhelmed by the spectacle. "Due to Leo's final move, the remaining places will be announced in a few minutes!"

Seeing that we had some time to kill, curiosity got the better of me, and I approached Tokoyami. "Hey, Tokoyami, can you summon Dark Shadow for me?" I asked. Tokoyami seemed a little puzzled but agreed, summoning Dark Shadow with a simple motion.

I reached out, touching Dark Shadow, feeling its form. "I've been wondering... is Dark Shadow sentient?" I asked curiously.

Tokoyami gave a small nod. "Well, sort of. Let's say he has the intelligence of a child. He can follow simple commands and show some emotions and even speak."

I nodded, understanding now why Dark Shadow had seemed so expressive earlier. "I see. That explains a lot. By the way, let's experiment sometime—maybe I can help figure out how to stop him from going berserk in the dark."

Tokoyami's eyes widened in surprise. After a moment, he nodded thoughtfully. "That would be interesting... if you're serious, I'd appreciate it."

"Of course," I said, smiling. "We'll figure it out together."

Soon, Present Mic's voice echoed throughout the stadium, "The judges have decided to conduct the Cavalry Battle once more after lunch break, but Team Leo is excluded from this round. The battle will be shortened to 10 minutes. See you all in the afternoon!"

Hearing the announcement, Midoriya was taken aback. "Woah, they're repeating the battle? That's never happened before in any of the past sports festivals!"

I chuckled, shrugging. "Hey, it's good for us. We can just sit back and enjoy the show now."

On the way to the cafeteria, the conversation quickly turned into complaints about the sports festival, mostly directed at me. "Leo, that was too much!" came the unified voices of nearly everyone—except my teammates.

I couldn't help but grin, raising my hands in mock defense. "Hey, it's just a game! Besides, you all get a second chance, don't you?"

Though a few of them rolled their eyes, they couldn't deny that they had another shot at victory, and the mood lightened as we continued toward lunch.

After the one-hour lunch break, I, along with Midoriya, Jiro, and Tokoyami, headed to the participants stand to watch the game unfold. The rest of the students made their way back to the arena, where the teams reformed, and the shortened Cavalry Battle began.

Despite the reduced time, the intensity of the match remained high, with teams scrambling to grab headbands and protect their own. The arena was chaotic, just as before, with Todoroki's team leading the charge while Bakugo's team fiercely fought for dominance.

Soon enough, the 10 minutes were up, and the final rankings were revealed:

1st place: Todoroki's Team

2nd place: Bakugo's Team

3rd place: Shinso's Team, who made a surprising last-minute comeback.

With only the top four teams advancing, it was clear that, aside from us, only these three teams would make it to the finals. Now the real competition was about to begin.

Soon, Present Mic's voice echoed through the arena. "That was one intense game, even with the shortened time, but only the top four can advance to the final event. Before we get there, though, I've got some exciting news for everyone who didn't qualify. This is still a sports festival, so we've prepared recreational activities for all participants, including cheerleaders flown in from America to get you pumped up. After that, we'll move on to the final event—a formal tournament featuring a series of one-on-one battles."

Kirishima pumped his fist, "A tournament, huh? We're going to be up on that ring just like in the TV broadcasts!"

Sero nodded in agreement, "Yeah, the format changes every year, but most years involve some kind of head-to-head competition."

Midnight continued, "The matchups will be determined by a lottery. Once that's sorted, we'll move on to the festivities and then the tournament. You 16 finalists have the choice to participate in these activities or take the opportunity to rest and conserve your energy. Now, let's start with the first-place team..."

As I prepared to step forward, Ojiro, who was standing next to us, raised his hand and said, "Umm, excuse me. I'd... I'd like to drop out."

Hearing this, everyone was stunned. Kaminari questioned, "Ojiro, why? This is your chance to get noticed by the pros."

Ojiro explained, "During the Cavalry Battle, I have no memories of anything that happened until the very end. It was probably his quirk that did it."

Midoriya, who was near me, muttered, "Ojiro was teamed up with that guy... what was his name again?"

I clarified, "It was Shinso, I think."

Ojiro continued, "I know this is a great opportunity and I might seem foolish for throwing it away, but this final tournament—everyone else made it through by their own strength. Yet here I am, not knowing how or why I got here. It just doesn't feel right."

As the class rep, I tried to cheer him up. "Hey, cheer up, Ojiro. You don't need to dwell on what happened. Besides, you can still show everyone what you're made of."

Ojiro shook his head. "No, it's about my pride. I can't just accept a spot when I didn't contribute."

Following this, Shoda from Class 1-B, who was also on Ojiro's team, also withdrew, citing the same reason. Both felt that allowing themselves to advance without having shown their true skills felt wrong. But Aoyama decided to continue competing.

Hearing Ojiro and Shoda's decision, Kirishima exclaimed, "These guys. So manly!"

Present Mic's voice boomed, "What a twist! What will our ref Midnight decide?"

Midnight, with a sadistic grin, replied, "How naive and green." She cracked her whip and announced, "I like it. Shoda and Ojiro have officially withdrawn. Replacing them will be members of Team Kendo, who finished in 4th place."

Kendo responded, "No, it should be Team Tetsutetsu. We were practically immobilized the entire time, while they fought hard to hold onto their position until the end. We're not colluding; it just feels right."

Tetsutetsu was moved to tears and said, "Y-You guys..." After a brief discussion, Team Tetsutetsu decided to send Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki to take their places.

Midnight announced, "So be it. Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki bring us back to 16 competitors. Here are the match-ups for the first round." The screen displayed:

1. Midoriya vs Shinso

2. Todoroki vs Sero

3. Shiozaki vs Kaminari

4. Ida vs Leo

5. Ashido vs Aoyama

6. Tokoyami vs Yaoyorozu

7. Tetsutetsu vs Kirishima

8. Jiro vs Bakugo

Seeing the matchups, I said to Midoriya, "Looks like we'll be competing pretty soon."

Midoriya replied, "Yeah, but first, I have to face Todoroki."

I encouraged him, "I'm confident you can defeat him. After all, he only uses half of his abilities, which definitely isn't enough to face you."

Just then, Shinso approached us and asked, "Izuku Midoriya, that's you, right?"

Midoriya was about to answer, but Ojiro quickly covered his mouth. I sensed something was off, but since Ojiro had already taken action, I held back from intervening. Ojiro explained, "Midoriya, don't answer him."

Soon, others began declaring their intentions for the upcoming matches. I approached Ida and said, "Hey, Ida, let's do our best!" I extended my fist.

Ida was momentarily taken aback but responded with a fist bump, saying, "Yes, but I will definitely defeat you."

I just grinned in response.

Present Mic's voice then rang out, "Now, let's set aside the tournament for the time being and dive into the thrilling festivities!"

While some, including myself, decided to relax, others who didn't qualify opted to enjoy the festival games. In the preparation room, Midoriya asked Ojiro, "Why did you cover my mouth and tell me not to answer Shinso?"

Ojiro explained, "I suspect he has some kind of mind-control quirk. My memory cuts off from the moment I answered him. Also, I regained my senses when Leo paralyzed everyone in the first round."

I analyzed, "It sounds like a psychic quirk that activates when you respond to him. Strong external interference might disrupt it. But I'm curious, since you experienced it the first time, why did you fall for it again?"

Ojiro looked embarrassed and admitted, "I didn't think much about it that time, so I ended up falling for it twice."

Soon, the games concluded, and the final round began. After Cementoss constructed the ring, Present Mic's voice rang out, "Hey, guys! Are you ready? You've all been through hell to get here, and now it's time for the One-on-One Tournament. You've only got yourselves to rely on. Even if you're not heroes yet, you know the saying: Spirit, Technique, Strength, Wisdom, and Knowledge! Use them all and show us your best."

I wished Midoriya, "Good luck, Midoriya. I'm looking forward to seeing you in the semi-finals. Show them what you're made of." Midoriya smiled, nodded, and then walked out of the room.

Present Mic's voice echoed through the stadium, "The first match is about to begin! Making a wide smile and entering with an excellent record, it's Izuku Midoriya from the Hero Course. Versus... Sorry, but this guy hasn't done much to stand out yet, it's Hitoshi Shinso from General Studies! The rules are simple: win by either knocking your opponent off the ring, immobilizing them, or getting them to say 'I give up.' Bring the pain if you must—ethics have no meaning here. But remember, going for a kill is a big No-No and will get you disqualified. True heroes only unleash their fists only against villains! Ready!!! Start!!!"

A/N: There you go. I fixed all the mistakes. I'll upload the next chapter by tomorrow, if I can't fix all the mistakes then the day after tomorrow.