Chapter 10: UA Sports Festival (Part 2)

As the match began, Shinso's words seemed to unsettle Midoriya. Present Mic announced, "Ready!!! Start!!!" Shinso immediately began speaking to Midoriya, and his words visibly upset him. Midoriya shouted, "What did you say?!?!"

I facepalmed, thinking, 'This idiot. Is this some kind of protagonist syndrome where he has to retort instead of just acting? Looks like I'll have to wait for 'them' to wake him up.'

Present Mic continued, "Hey, hey, what's wrong? The battle's just starting, so show us some spirit! But mere seconds into the match and Midoriya's frozen in place. Looking confounded, he isn't even twitching. Could this be Shinso's quirk? We were barely aware this guy even existed! But now he's definitely one to watch."

Shinso's voice echoed, "You must be nice to have everything handed to you, Izuku Midoriya. Now turn around and walk out of the ring."

I felt a surge of irritation. 'Although I'm supporting Midoriya, why is Shinso asking him to walk out of the ring? Is he just dumb? Why not ask him to say 'I give up'? Maybe it's a limitation of his quirk. He can make people do anything but can't make them speak, so it might be some sort of subconscious manipulation.'

I began analyzing how Shinso's quirk worked, trying to understand its mechanics and limitations.

My train of thought was interrupted when Present Mic's voice rang out, "Whoa! Midoriya's following orders like a good little boy." Midoriya was walking step by step under Shinso's influence. I observed him closely, trying to understand Shinso's quirk and if 'those' guys had any sense of waking up.

As Midoriya walked, I noted the effectiveness of Shinso's quirk. It seemed to control his actions directly. Meanwhile, I sensed the movements of 'those' guys. Suddenly, Midoriya activated his quirk with full power, and despite the cost of two finger, he snapped back to his senses.

Shinso, shocked, yelled, "Impossible! How? You shouldn't have control over what you could do?" As Midoriya remained silent, Shinso grew restless. "Nothing to say for yourself? I'm jealous, though. Moving that finger means you're the real deal. Thanks to my quirk's nature, I couldn't enter the golden gates. You wouldn't get it, though; you're naturally blessed. You people with your awesome quirks get to follow all your dreams!!"

By this point, Midoriya had recovered from the shock and activated his quirk. With green arcs surrounding him, he rushed toward Shinso. In an instant, he appeared near Shinso and threw him out of the ring.

Midnight announced, "Shinso is out of the ring. Winner Midoriya moves on to the second round."

Seeing the shoulder throw, Kaminari teased Bakugo, "He also got you with that shoulder toss, right Bakugo?"

Bakugo retorted, "Shut up, Dunce Face!"

Kaminari took the jab with a painful grin. Present Mic's voice echoed, "Goodness gracious, what a gorgeous start. Now put your hands together for our fierce competitors!"

After the match, Midoriya headed to the nurse's office. Once his broken finger were healed, he returned to the participants' stand. I was chatting with Kirishima and others when I spotted Midoriya and waved him over. "Hey Midoriya, here, saved you a spot."

Just then, Present Mic's voice rang out, "The wait is finally over! Moving on, there they are—the cream of the crop. Yet this guy is somehow still as plain as they come. Hanta Sero of the Hero Course versus One of the strongest, on the hero course, Shoto Todoroki. Ready? Start!!"

As the match began, Sero launched a surprise attack, giving it his all. Present Mic commented, "He's trying to push Todoroki out with a surprise attack. It's probably the best strategy for him. Sero is giving his all!"

Todoroki, with a hint of sarcasm, apologized, "Sorry about this." He then unleashed a massive wave of ice that covered an entire side of the stadium. The ice wave was so enormous it extended beyond the stadium, reaching even in front of us.

Sero, stunned and frozen both literally and figuratively, exclaimed, "This... Isn't this an overkill?"

A half-frozen Midnight, who became collateral damage from Todoroki's indiscriminate attack, asked, "Sero, can you move?"

Sero, shivering from the cold, replied, "You're kidding, right? Ow, ow, ow."

Midnight, realizing Sero was completely immobilized, announced, "Sero is immobilized."

The crowd, snapping out of their stunned state, began to cheer, "Good try!"

Todoroki approached Sero, using his left hand to melt the ice. "Sorry, I overdid it," he apologized. "I was just annoyed."

With that, Midnight announced, "Shoto Todoroki moves on to the second round!"

Following that, the cleaning and medical staff rushed onto the arena, staring up at the massive iceberg Todoroki had created. One of them groaned, "This is gonna take forever. Anyone got any ideas?"

As they debated how to handle it, I sighed, realizing this could take too long. "Alright, fine. Guess I'll take care of it myself," I muttered, standing up from my seat.

"Hey, Leo, where are you going?" Yaoyorozu asked, curious.

I turned back and smiled. "Just watch."

Now everyone's attention was on me as I approached the enormous ice formation. I placed my hand on it and thought, 'Melt it or shatter it?' After a second, I decided, 'Let's melt it.'

I activated my quirk, and a wave of intense heat radiated from me. The spectators began murmuring, "Why is it so hot all of a sudden?" Even Endeavor glanced over, intrigued.

Directing the heat toward the ice, I surrounded it with a bright, orange-red flame. The air shimmered with warmth, and within moments, the entire iceberg vanished, evaporated by the heat. The flames disappeared as quickly as they had come, leaving nothing but normal ground with a few drops of water behind.

Seeing the ice completely gone, I nodded to myself. "Well, that does it."

The crowd was still in shock, and I overheard someone nearby mutter, "Did Endeavor do that?"

His friend smacked him on the head. "You idiot! Do you think the number two hero would bother with something like this? It was that kid from the participants' stand!"

Rubbing his head, the guy replied, "But wasn't his quirk something like super strength or speed?"

The friend shrugged. "Who knows? There are so many weird quirks these days."

Back in the participants' stand, Kirishima finally broke the silence. "Leo, seriously, is there anything you can't do?"

I paused to think and then replied, "Well, I can't control time."

Everyone stared at me in disbelief, their faces a mix of confusion and resignation. Sensing the mood shift, I added, "What? I'm serious. Controlling time? Yeah, can't do that."

Denki, clearly still processing, shook his head. "Is that even something a normal person would think to say?"

Hearing this, I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who's the normal person here? You can control electricity, Kirishima can harden himself, Yaoyorozu can create anything out of thin air, and Bakugo can literally blow things up. So, who exactly is the normal one?"

Everyone fell silent for a moment, processing what I said. Kirishima scratched his head awkwardly, while Denki stammered, "I mean... when you put it like that..."

Yaoyorozu smiled, "He has a point."

Bakugo just scoffed, "Tch. Like any of us are normal."

Following that, everyone just laughed it off. Soon, the cleaning crew glanced my way with gratitude and quickly finished up the rest of the cleanup. Then, Present Mic's voice boomed across the stadium, "Now, with the arena cleaned up quite unexpectedly, let's move on to the next match! It's Class 1-B's 'Assassin'—every rose has its thorns, right?! It's Ibara Shiozaki! Versus the Sparking Killer Boy, Denki Kaminari!"

Hearing this, I turned to Kaminari and teased, "Hey Kaminari, just try not to lose too badly, alright? Her vines probably conduct electricity, so she'll ground herself. You'll need to keep moving, or you're toast. Basically, don't let it end too fast."

Kaminari rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, just watch me win," and confidently walked toward the arena.

I shook my head, thinking, 'He's hopeless. Maybe this loss will finally knock some sense into him.'

As both Kaminari and Shiozaki entered the arena, Shiozaki, visibly upset, complained, "Pardon my objection, but what did you mean by 'Assassin'? I've merely come this far seeking victory."

Present Mic quickly backtracked, "Sorry about that!"

Then Midnight stepped in, announcing, "Start!"

Without missing a beat, Kaminari tried to be smooth. "Wanna grab something to eat once we're done here?"

Hearing this, I couldn't help but facepalm. He's truly hopeless I thought, watching Kaminari's attempt at flirting mid-battle.

On the other side of the arena, Shiozaki remained composed, her expression unchanging. "I will be happy to console you if you want." she calmly replied. Without hesitation, she extended her vine-like hair towards Kaminari, ready to strike.

As the vines approached, Kaminari smirked confidently, charging up his electricity. "Same to you because this match will be over in an instant." he taunted, sending a surge of full power electricity into her vines.

As I had predicted, Shiozaki had already grounded herself. The electricity passed harmlessly through her vines and into the ground. Kaminari, on the other hand, had overdone it, shorting out his brain and turning into his usual goofy, "Yay-for-everything" self. I sighed, shaking my head, 'I told him.'

Soon, her vines effortlessly wrapped around Kaminari, immobilizing him in an instant. "And just like that, it's over," I muttered quietly.

The whole arena watched in amused disbelief as Kaminari shorted himself, allowing Shiozaki to effortlessly wrap him up with her vines, immobilizing him completely.

Midnight quickly announced, "Kaminari is immobilized. The winner is Ibara Shiozaki!"

Kaminari, now tied up in vines, said "Yay!" though the actual translation was, "Come on, I didn't even get a chance."

Hearing this, I sighed, "Maybe this will teach him to take things seriously next time."

Present Mic's voice boomed across the stadium, "Wow, the match was really over in an instant?" Then Midnight declared, "Shiozaki advances to the second round." Shiozaki clasped her hands, looking devout, "Yes, I have not wasted this opportunity bestowed upon me."

Present Mic continued, "Moving on, who's next in the battle for the top? It's Tenya Ida of the Hero Course versus the strongest in his class and the Class Rep, Leo, also from the Hero Course!"

Hearing this, heroes in the audience began to discuss. "How is this match gonna go?" one asked. "Probably, Leo is going to win. Present Mic did say he's the strongest in the Hero Course," another replied. "Yes, I really want to see how this match will go," a third added.

In the arena, I faced off against Ida. I smiled, "Ready, Ida?"

Ida, standing firm, responded, "Leo, although we are classmates and even friends, I will still give it my all."

I nodded, "Alright then, I'll go all out too. Hope you can handle it."

Present Mic's voice echoed, "Start!!" The moment the words left his mouth, I vanished from sight. In the next instant, I reappeared behind Ida. He was stunned, and though he tried to move, his body couldn't react fast enough. With ease, I threw him out of the ring.

The arena fell silent, everyone too shocked to speak. Finally, Present Mic broke the silence, "And it's over! Ida is out of the ring! Leo moves on to the next round!"

It was only after that moment that Iida fully processed what had happened. "Hey, Leo, was that your full strength?" he asked, still a bit dazed.

I smiled back at him, "Not really. I only wanted to defeat you, not kill you. If I went all out, you'd either be seriously injured... or worse."

Hearing this, Ida nodded in understanding. "I see, we're on completely different levels."

Seeing him a bit down, I patted his shoulder and said, "Hey, don't be too disappointed. The important thing is that you there's always room to grow. You've got great potential, and each battle teaches you something new. Just keep pushing forward."

Ida smiled, nodding, "Thanks, Leo. I'll do my best to improve."

We both walked back to the contestant prep room. As we entered, Jiro greeted us. "Great match you guys. Although it was cool even though it ended in an instant."

Ida replied, "Oh, Jiro..." But then we both noticed her twirling her earphone jacks around her fingers, an anxious look on her face—definitely unusual for her.

"Jiro, what's up with the nerves?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She blinked, her fingers still playing with the jacks before she let out a small sigh. "Yeah, I guess I'm not hiding it well. Just feeling a little anxious about my match."

Ida chimed in, "Right, your opponent is... Bakugo."

Jiro's shoulders slumped slightly, her usual confidence absent. "Yeah, not exactly looking forward to it. Seeing you guys out there reminded me of what I'm about to face."

We walked closer to Jiro, and I sat down nearby. She was still twirling her earphone jacks.

Ida, trying to reassure her, said, "Don't worry, Jiro! I feel like Bakugo wouldn't go all out against a female opponent."

I quickly corrected him, "Oh, he definitely will go all out."

Jiro sighed, her fingers still playing with the jacks. "Yeah... I kind of figured as much. Well, I'll just have to give it my all.

Seeing her lack of confidence and nervousness, I spoke up, "Jiro, I can help you come up with a plan for Bakugo."

She fiddled with her earphone jacks, hesitant. "I appreciate it, but I think I should handle it alone."

I shook my head. "Look, we might be rivals, but we're also classmates and friends. You don't have to do this by yourself."

She sighed, looking torn. "But Leo—"

I interrupted her by gently placing my finger on her lips. "Shh! No excuses. Let's work together on this."

Jiro blushed at this intimate action, but the encouragement proved effective as her nervousness disappeared and her usual confidence came back. With a determined look, she said, "Alright, let's do it. What's the plan?"

Hearing this, I smirked. "Oh, you will love this plan. It might also teach you one or two new ways to use your quirk, too." Jiro's excitement grew even more.

At this time, on the arena, Present Mic's excited commentary echoed, "This is a wonderful mirror image quirk matchup! Tetsutetsu versus Kirishima, just a straightforward beatdown, a flesh-to-flesh battle. And the winner is... Kirishima!"

Hearing this, the heroes cheered, "This kind of hot-blooded match is a man's romance!"

Another hero chimed in, "Yes, it looked like they were equal in strength, but the red-haired kid had the upper hand due to his mastery."

Yet another hero added, "I really want one of them as a sidekick. Such hot-bloodedness would be a huge morale booster."

Soon, it was time for the last match of the first round: Jiro versus Bakugo. We had spent a good amount of time perfecting a solid strategy for Jiro, and if all went well, she had an 80% chance to win.

Before heading to the arena, I suggested, "Hey, Jiro, I can help you out with any last-minute nerves if you want."

Jiro looked at me, a small smile creeping onto her face as she twirled her earphone jacks nervously. "Thanks, Leo. I'll definitely reach the finals."

I cheered, "Good luck, Jiro! I am waiting for you."

With a confident nod, Jiro walked out of the prep room, ready to face her match in the arena.

Soon, Present Mic announced, "Now for the last match of the first round... A celebrity since his middle school days, with a face only a mother could love... it's Katsuki Bakugo of the Hero Course versus The electrifying sound of the Hero Course! With a heart full of passion and the spirit of a true rock star, it's the one and only Jiro Kyoka!"

As I walked into the participants' stands, I was met with the concerned faces of the girls. It was clear they were genuinely worried about this match. Tsuyu spoke up, "In some ways, I'm most worried about this match."

Uraraka shivered and added, "Honestly, I don't wanna watch this match."

Hearing all this, I tried to ease the tension. "Hey, relax. I think Jiro will surprise you guys in this match." I continued silently to myself, 'If all goes well, that is.'

Just then, Midoriya approached, looking a bit puzzled. "Hey, Leo, where were you?"

I shrugged slightly. "Just helping Jiro come up with a strategy for her match against Bakugo."

Midoriya nodded, looking thoughtful. "That's good to hear. Did you catch the previous matches?"

"Not really. What happened?" I asked, genuinely curious.

Midoriya took a deep breath. "Well, in the match between Ashido and Aoyama, Ashido managed to damage Aoyama's belt, which made him panic. That gave her the opening she needed to knock him out with an uppercut. As for Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu, Tokoyami didn't give her a chance to create anything and won his match quickly. Honestly, aside from you, I think Tokoyami's one of the strongest in one-on-one battles here."

Uraraka shook her head in disbelief. "This is going to be intense."

I chuckled. "Yeah, but don't worry. Jiro's ready for it. After all we did spend the last 3 matches trying to create a strategy." This piqued everyone's curiosity, and they all turned their attention to the arena.

On the arena, Bakugo and Jiro stood face to face, tension building. Bakugo, with his usual arrogant smirk, taunted, "You're the one with the ear jacks, right? If you're gonna back down, do it now. I don't want to hear you whine about how you regret stepping into the ring later."

Jiro remained silent, her eyes focused and determined, refusing to be shaken by his words.

Soon, Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium, "START!!"

As soon as Present Mic's signal sounded, Jiro sprang into action, her heart pounding with adrenaline. "I'm not backing down!" she shouted, her earphone jacks twitching with anticipation as she dashed forward.

Bakugo stood his ground, a confident smirk on his face. "You think you can take me down with those silly sound waves?" he taunted, igniting an explosion from his palm.

Jiro ducked just in time, the blast sending debris flying. "Let's find out!" she replied, quickly retreating to plug her earphone jacks into the amplifiers on her legs. As she did, the ground shook beneath her, and she unleashed a powerful sound wave, "Heartbeat Blast," that rippled toward Bakugo, cracking the surface under its force.

He barely dodged, the wave knocking some rubble off balance. "You're gonna have to do better than that!" he shouted, firing off another explosion to create a barrier of smoke.

Using the distraction, Jiro took a breath, her eyes narrowing as she focused on where he might strike next. "Can't hide from me!" she called out, launching a concentrated sound wave amplified through her jacks, the sheer force striking him like a freight train.

Bakugo gritted his teeth, feeling the impact as he staggered back. "Stop playing around!" he roared, igniting his palm for another explosive attack. "I'll show you what real power is!"

Jiro maintained her focus. "I've got more tricks up my sleeve!" She amplified her sound waves further, launching her "Heartbeat Barrage," a series of rapid-fire blasts that echoed throughout the arena, disorienting him. Each blast shattered sections of the ground, sending debris flying as the vibrations rattled the arena.

"Nice try!" Bakugo retorted, dodging to the side but getting clipped by the edge of one of her blasts. "But I'm not going down that easy!" He charged at her, explosions erupting from his hands in a flurry of energy.

Jiro's instincts kicked in as she quickly plugged her jacks into her amplifiers again. "Here goes!" she yelled, releasing her "Heartbeat Wall," a powerful sonic boom that reverberated around them.The sound waves collided with his next explosion, creating a shockwave that rippled through the arena. The audience gasped at the display of raw power as both fighters struggled to maintain their ground.

Seizing the moment, Jiro quickly unleashed another "Heartbeat Barrage," sending rapid sound waves straight at Bakugo as he attempted to recover. "Now, let's see how you handle this!" she exclaimed, her jacks humming with energy.Bakugo grunted, struggling to regain control, but Jiro was relentless. She maintained her distance, firing off wave after wave, until she saw an opening. "You're not getting away!" she shouted, charging in to plug her jacks into the amplifiers on her legs once more. With a fierce determination, she unleashed a concentrated wave "Heartbeat Echo," disrupting his focus and sending him staggering back.

Bakugo snarled as he fought to stabilize himself. "What the—?" he shouted, caught off guard. In a swift movement, Jiro extended her earphone jacks and wrapped them around Bakugo's wrist, using the momentum to pull him off balance.

With a quick twist, she flung him backward, using an amplified sound wave blast to propel him further away. "Get ready for this!" she shouted, launching herself toward him, her amplifiers blazing as she prepared to unleash her ultimate move: "Heartbeat Obliteration."

The resulting blast shattered the entire arena in a fan shape, and the shockwave sent Bakugo flying across the stadium. Seeing this, Cementoss quickly took action, creating a wall to catch Bakugo, succeeding as he crashed and embedded into the structure. The close-range blast shook all the organs in his body and caused his brain to shut down, leaving him in a coma. Fortunately, Jiro had held back her full power, so Bakugo was only seriously injured; otherwise, he would have been completely obliterated, as the move's name suggested.

As Jiro surveyed the destruction, she was left completely stunned. "This... did I do this? I guess you were right, Leo; sound waves are incredibly powerful." She glanced at her scrapped amplifiers and smiled wryly. "Guess I'll have to upgrade my gear."

The immense destruction left the entire arena in stunned silence. In the participants' stands, everyone stared wide-eyed at the chaos before them, their expressions resembling cartoon characters with eyes popping out of their sockets.

"WHAT A FANTASTIC DISPLAY OF POWER!" Present Mic's voice boomed, breaking the silence. "Jiro Kyoka has unleashed an attack that will be talked about for ages! This isn't just a fight; it's a full-on concert of sound waves that has obliterated the arena! Can you feel that energy, folks?!"

The announcement jolted everyone back to reality, and soon the crowd erupted into loud cheers. "Jiro Kyoka is the winner!" Midnight proclaimed, her voice ringing out over the excited audience.

Jiro stood there, breathless and victorious, still stunned by her own handiwork. She glanced towards the stands, especially at Leo, with a triumphant smile on her face, knowing she had given it her all. "I did it!" she exclaimed, the weight of the fight lifting as she felt the unwavering support of her friends from the stands.

In the stands, the girls leaped with joy. Uraraka shouted, "She actually did it! You were right, Leo—Jiro totally surprised us!" Ashido cheered, "Way to go, Jiro! That was amazing!"

Soon, the medical robot rushed into the arena and carefully extracted the comatose Bakugo from the wall, swiftly transporting him to the nurse's office.

Jiro, who had recovered, walked in. Immediately, the girls surrounded her, showering her with praise. "Great job, Jiro! You really showed Bakugo what you're made of!" they said.

After some more cheering, we all sat down, and Midoriya headed to the prep room. While we waited for the next match, Yaoyorozu acknowledged, "Jiro, your quirk is Earphone Jack, right?"

Jiro nodded, and Yaoyorozu continued, "I was amazed at the destructiveness of your sound waves! How did you come up with those attacks?"

Everyone turned their attention to Jiro, eager for her response. With a smile, Jiro replied, "Oh, that! I have Leo to thank for teaching me the concepts behind those moves."

At this, everyone seemed less surprised, and Kaminari added, "Of course it was Leo. Now I'm not surprised, but I have to say, when it comes to quirk development ideas, Leo is definitely on top."

Jiro continued, "Honestly, even I didn't know that sound waves could be this destructive. It's all thanks to Leo's guidance that I discovered this potential."

I smiled and replied, "Come on, why are you thanking me? Didn't I say earlier, we're not just classmates, but friends? And isn't this what friends do—help each other out?"

Jiro's eyes sparkled with appreciation. "You're right, Leo! You always know how to bring out the best in everyone. Honestly, I didn't realize sound waves could be this destructive until you pointed it out. It's like I discovered a whole new side to my quirk!"

I nodded, feeling a warmth spread in my chest at her enthusiasm. "I just showed you a different approach. You've got the talent; I just helped you find it."

She chuckled lightly, a hint of shyness creeping into her voice. "Well, I guess I owe you a lot. I mean, without you, I'd probably still be stuck thinking my quirk was just about music."

I noticed the way her gaze lingered on me, and a part of me felt something stir—a light fluttering that I couldn't ignore. To make sure of it, I subtly activated my quirk, sensing the emotions radiating from Jiro. My guess was right: she was slightly in love with me. "You've got a lot of potential, Jiro. I can see you going far," I said, adjusting my posture to lean in a little closer, creating an inviting atmosphere. "Just remember, I'm always here to help if you need it."Let me know if you'd like any further

She looked down, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks as she replied, "Thanks, Leo. It really means a lot to me… more than I think you realize." The weight of her words hung in the air, and I felt a spark of connection, as if something deeper was beginning to form.

Just then, Kaminari burst into our conversation, smirking as he interrupted, "Come on Leo, you already have Hagakure, why are you taking our Jiro too?"

Jiro's face flushed a bright red, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the unexpected teasing. I simply smiled, unbothered by Kaminari's comment, but Jiro looked completely flustered.

Her reaction caught the attention of Hagakure, who was nearby. With a knowing smile, she began to make her way over, eager to support her friend. Jiro quickly straightened up, trying to regain her composure, but the flush on her cheeks remained. She looked between me, Kaminari, and Hagakure, a mix of embarrassment and excitement washing over her. "W-What? I'm not—" she stammered.

Hagakure reached Jiro and gently pulled her away, saying, "Come on, Jiro! Let's have a little talk." Jiro shot me one last wide-eyed glance, her cheeks still rosy, before being led away, leaving me smiling about the unexpected connection that had just begun to blossom between us.

Soon, Present Mic's voice echoed through the stadium: "Now that the arena is all fixed, let's begin the second round! Both of these competitors have shown incredible strength and determination in this festival so far, but... there's only room for one of these greats in the ring! It's... Midoriya versus Todoroki!"

On the ground, Todoroki calmly asked Midoriya, "You ready?"

In the stands, we were seated, staring eagerly at the stadium when Jiro and Hagakure returned after their "talk." I glanced over and asked, "So, what was the talk about?"

Both Jiro and Hagakure exchanged flustered glances, and Jiro smirked. "It's a secret."

I raised an eyebrow, a playful grin spreading across my face. "You both probably talked about how to share me."

Their eyes widened in shock, and Hagakure quickly retorted, "How can you be sure we weren't trying to talk each other out to monopolize you?"

I leaned back, crossing my arms confidently. "Because I know my Toru-chan wouldn't want to hurt anyone, especially a friend. Besides, Jiro's got a fierce spirit—she wouldn't let anyone push her around!" I threw a wink Jiro's way, admiring the way her confidence often shone through, even now.

Jiro shot me a playful glare, but I could see her cheeks turning a deep shade of red. "Fierce spirit, huh? Maybe I should start showing you just how fierce I can be!" Her voice was teasing, but the blush on her cheeks was unmistakable.

Suddenly, Toru turned invisible, overwhelmed by embarrassment. I couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, the lighthearted atmosphere making the moment all the more enjoyable.

On the arena, the tension in the air was thick, and we all knew this battle between Midoriya and Todoroki was going to be one hell of a battle.

As soon as Present Mic's signal to begin echoed through the arena, "Start!!", the atmosphere shifted. The crowd leaned forward, anticipating the explosive clash between Midoriya and Todoroki. On the ground, both competitors stood firm, eyes locked.

Todoroki wasted no time. He raised his hand, and immediately, massive ice formations surged forward, covering a vast portion of the battlefield, threatening to overwhelm Midoriya.

But Midoriya, already prepared, activated One For All at 100%. His body surged with power, and with a mighty punch, he shattered the incoming ice, sending shards scattering across the stadium. This punch had already damaged Midoriya's arm quite seriously, but he gritted his teeth and focused back on the fight.

'Of course, Todoroki's attacks cover a wide range. I guess he also realizes I'll probably use movement speed to kite him,' Midoriya thought to himself, panting slightly from the effort of using OFA. "Guess I can't just avoid them, I have to face them head-on."

Todoroki remained calm, though a flicker of surprise crossed his face at how easily Midoriya had broken through his ice. Without hesitation, Todoroki followed up with another wave, larger than before. The temperature around him dropped as the ice storm grew fiercer.

Midoriya dashed forward, green arcs of power surrounding him with the strength of OFA, dodging the ice with incredible speed. He closed the gap, but as he neared Todoroki, the half-and-half hero unleashed another massive wall of ice.

"Not enough!" Midoriya yelled, smashing through the wall with another 100% punch, causing the arena to tremble from the force.

The audience gasped, watching the intense and brutal back-and-forth. Todoroki wasn't holding back, and neither was Midoriya. But Midoriya knew he couldn't fight a protracted battle as his arms were getting even more injured. He had to get closer.

Midoriya remembered what Todoroki had said earlier about his father, Endeavor. The conflict within Todoroki ran deep, and it wasn't just about the battle in front of them.

"Why are you only using your right side?!" Midoriya shouted as he shattered another barrage of freezing attacks with another OFA punch. "That left side of yours... it's your power too! You can't just reject it!"

In the stands, I couldn't help but smile as I watched the match unfold. "This is so like you, Midoriya. Even in such a heated battle, you're still trying to save your opponent. I guess this is what All Might saw in you too."

Tokoyami tilted his head, curious. "What did you mean by that, Leo?"

Realizing I had spoken out loud, I felt a moment of surprise but quickly composed myself. "It's nothing, really. Just admiring Midoriya's selfless character. Even though Todoroki is his opponent, he's still looking out for him."

In the arena, Todoroki's expression darkened. He yelled, "What are you planning, did my bastard of a father bribe you or something?" And he attacked with more power than before. His ice barrage grew fiercer, each attack more powerful than the last. Yet, Midoriya, determined, kept pushing forward, breaking through ice after ice with his One For All-powered fists, causing severe damage to his own body.

"You're not going all out!" Midoriya continued, his voice shaking with intensity. "You say you want to win and reach the top, but you're not using everything you have! You'll never reach the top like that!"

Midoriya's words struck a nerve, and for a brief moment, Todoroki hesitated.

The crowd was on the edge of their seats. Each of Midoriya's punches was accompanied by the sound of bones breaking, yet he kept going. His body was battered, his arms bruised and bloody, but his resolve never wavered.

Seeing the intensity getting severe, Cementoss couldn't help but use his earpiece to ask Midnight, "Should I stop the match? Midoriya is going all out. I haven't seen him this injured since the entrance exam. And he's not even feeling all this pain because he's in an adrenaline rush. All those injuries can't be healed in a single session. Even if he wins, he will be in no shape for the next match."

Midnight responded, "Let me talk to Eraser Head about this." Soon, she contacted Aizawa, who said to continue the match and added, "Don't forget, other than Recovery Girl, we still have Leo."

Midnight suddenly remembered how Leo had healed All Might's unhealable injuries. So she was relieved and responded to Cementoss, "Don't worry about the injuries. We still have someone with even more powerful healing abilities than Recovery Girl."

Hearing this, Cementoss remembered as well and sat back, reassured. He continued watching the match, confident that even if Midoriya won, he would have the support he needed.

As the battle continued, Midoriya's injuries mounted. Finally, Todoroki asked in frustration, "Why are you going this far?" Midoriya responded, "Just trying to meet expectations—a smiling, dependable, cool hero, that's who I wanted to be." Todoroki froze, caught off guard by the sincerity of Midoriya's words. Midoriya seized the moment and charged, yelling, "That's why I'm giving it everything for everyone!" The impact slammed Todoroki back.

Midoriya continued, "Your experiences... your determination... I can't even fathom what that's like, but if you become number one without giving it your all, then I don't think you're ever serious about denying him everything." Todoroki shouted, "Shut up!" and began using his frostbitten hand to condense more ice. Midoriya pressed on, "That's why I have to win. I have to surpass you!" He charged up for his next attack.

Todoroki, his frustration evident, retorted, "I'll show my father—" but Midoriya cut him off, rushing forward with a final yell, "Your power is your own!" The attack hit Todoroki, causing him to recall a deep part of his past. A tear appeared at the corner of his eye but quickly evaporated as flames erupted from his left side—the side he had been suppressing all this time. The air around him heated up instantly, melting the ice and the frostbite on his right side.

Seeing this, Kirishima stood up and exclaimed, "He used it!" Uraraka, exclaimed "Whoa, that's hot." I waved my hand to disperse the heatwaves affecting the stands.

In the arena, Midoriya grinned, retreating despite the pain wracking his body. "That's more like it."

The temperature in the arena soared as Todoroki prepared a devastating attack, combining ice and fire. The power he was about to unleash was monumental, drawing gasps from the audience. Todoroki shouted, "I thought you wanted to win, damn it! So why are you trying to inspire me? Which one of us isn't taking this seriously now? But I... I want to be a hero too." He smiled.

Midoriya also smiled, gathering the last of his strength for one final push. Endeavor laughed from the stands, "Shotooo!!!" He continued, "So you have finally accepted it! Yes! Excellent!! It begins for you now, at this moment! With my blood pumping through you, you will surpass me... You will fulfill my ambitions!!!" The crowd fell silent as Present Mic commented, "A sudden pep talk from Endeavor, huh? What a doting parent."

The two surged toward each other, Todoroki with his ice-fire combination, and Midoriya with a 100% One For All smash. Their attacks collided in the center of the arena, creating a massive explosion of ice, fire, and wind. Amid the chaos, Todoroki's voice echoed, "Midoriya, thank you."

For a few seconds, the arena was obscured by smoke and debris. The crowd held its breath, waiting to see who would emerge victorious.

As the dust settled, Todoroki stood outside the ring, his flames extinguished and pieces of ice surrounding his feet. He was panting heavily, his eyes wide with shock.

Midoriya, though barely standing, remained upright. His body trembled, arms hanging limp, but his eyes were clear and filled with determination.

Present Mic's voice finally cut through the silence: "AND THE WINNER IS... IZUKU MIDORIYA!!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, but both combatants stood still, silently acknowledging each other's strength.

As medical bots rushed onto the field, Midoriya gave Todoroki a small, tired smile. "It's your power, Todoroki... don't forget that."

Todoroki, still processing the battle, could only nod. Midoriya had done more than win; he had helped Todoroki unlock a part of himself that he had been suppressing for years.

Soon after Midoriya was taken to the nurse's office on a stretcher, I quickly excused myself and followed behind. As I entered the room, I saw Midoriya lying on the bed, his arms wrapped in bandages, while All Might stood nearby, listening intently to Recovery Girl. To the side, Bakugo was also lying on a bed, his body covered in bandages, seemingly fast asleep.

Seeing him like that, I couldn't help but smile. I quietly pulled out my phone and snapped a quick photo. "Man, he looks so peaceful when he's sleeping," I whispered to myself with a grin, resisting the urge to laugh at the irony.

"His entire right arm is shattered. It won't be easy to set it back to normal. First, I'll have to remove the bone splinters from his joints before the healing can start," Recovery Girl explained. Then, noticing me, she added, "Oh, Leo, good you're here. I was just about to call you. Do you think you can possibly heal him?"

All Might turned toward me, hope evident in his eyes. I nodded and said, "Probably. First, I'll need to assess the situation and see if direct healing will work, or if I'll need to rebuild the entire arm from scratch."

Recovery Girl nodded in understanding and carefully removed the cast and bandages. The sight of Midoriya's completely tattered arm left me momentarily stunned. "I might need to decompose his bones entirely and rebuild them from scratch. Seriously, Midoriya, it feels like you have a habit of destroying yourself," I complained, shaking my head.

I placed my hand gently over his arm and focused. First, I deactivated the pain receptors in his body to ensure he wouldn't feel a thing. The easy part came next—dismantling the arm, which I completed quickly. From the outside, the entire arm completely disappeared. This surprised both Recovery Girl and All Might. Now came the difficult task of regenerating the arm.

I tapped into his body's natural growth factors, stimulating regeneration and cellular division using the blueprint of his existing tissue. With the bio-energy from the decomposed arm, along with an additional energy boost, I carefully reconstructed the entire arm, from skin to muscle fibers to bone structure, focusing intently on every detail. After half an hour of intense concentration, I had successfully regenerated a new, stronger right arm.

I then turned my attention to his left hand, which had also sustained damage, though not as severely. I healed the fractures and reinforced the bones and muscles throughout his body to maintain balance and prevent future injuries from the strain of his quirk.

Finally, I removed my hand and let out a deep breath. "It's done," I said, relieved.

On the bed lay Midoriya, fully healed with a new and improved body. I asked, "Midoriya, how are you feeling?"

Midoriya slowly moved his arms and legs and replied, "It feels completely fine. It's as good as new. But... something feels off."

Recovery Girl explained in, "Probably a sequela of the surgery. Seriously, Midoriya, you're lucky Leo was here. If not, I couldn't have fixed that arm. Even if it healed, it would never have returned to its normal form."

I shook my head and said, "No, it's not a side effect. It's just my personal touch. I've evolved the bones, joints, muscles, blood vessels, etc in your right arm, making them much stronger. Even if you go all out one day, at worst, you'll only suffer a minor fracture. But be careful—your other parts haven't been upgraded to the same extent. I could only strengthen them slightly since I was just healing them, not regenerating like I did for your right arm. So, if you ever need to push yourself, use the right hand. But, you'll need some time to adjust and get familiar with your new strength, though."

Midoriya nodded in understanding. "Thanks a lot, Leo."

I waved it off, smiling. "It's nothing. This is what I'm here for."

Then, I turned my head, noticing that Bakugo was awake, staring between me and Midoriya with a bewildered expression. It was rare to see such a reaction from him, and I was surprised. Walking over to him, I grabbed his hand firmly. Bakugo tensed up, eyeing me warily.

"What do you want?" he asked cautiously, his usual gruff tone softening slightly.

With a smile, I replied, "What else? Heal you."

As soon as I said that, the bandages on his body shattered, revealing a completely healed Bakugo underneath. His eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly looked away, muttering, "Thanks."

The entire room froze in disbelief. 'Did Bakugo just say thanks?' echoed in everyone's mind. Even All Might and Recovery Girl exchanged shocked glances.

Breaking the silence, Recovery Girl cleared her throat. "Oh, good. You're healed too, Bakugo. Now off you go, both of you."

As we prepared to leave, All Might spoke up with a grin, "Oh, by the way, Leo, you better head to the arena. Your match has been delayed for quite a while now."

I blinked, momentarily surprised, before laughing. "Right, guess I should get going." I gave Bakugo a quick nod and headed toward the door.

I walked out behind Bakugo, heading straight for the prep room. Once inside, I took a deep breath and quickly adjusted my focus. Moments later, Present Mic's voice echoed throughout the stadium:

"Jiro has blasted her way into the 3rd round! Now, it's time for the final match of the second round! This match was postponed earlier due to some issues. It's the thorn of Class 1-B, Ibara Shiozaki, versus the strongest of Class 1-A, Leo!"

Hearing this, I couldn't help but grin. "Well, I guess it's showtime."

A/N: There part 2 of the UA Sports Festival. See you all in Part 3. Also I made Jiro stronger since I feel that with such a strong quirk she can straight up destroy Bakugo.