Chapter 32: Student Matchups

After the meeting, all the teachers dismiss themselves from the meeting room. They all go together when Vlad asked something.

"Do you think that a primary student can have that much skill? Making a bigger empire than that damn old man?" He wonders out loud, as he thought about his bad memories with the Yakuza years prior. No one answered immediately.

"Eh?! I don't think so! But the Principal doesn't tell us something out of pure speculation. Also, Aizawa was involved with the gathering of information about the kid, so… Yeah!" Present Mic said with his loud voice.

"He also knows the Number 3 hero of France, which was the richest man in the world according to Inui." Midnight adds.

…

After the Rescue Training Race, Araki was called to the office. There, he sees Nezu drinking tea.

"Good Day, sir. May I ask why you called for me?" Araki asks as he saw Nezu offer him a seat which he took.

"Good day to you too. Don't tense up. I just need you for something." "For what, sir?" Nezu sips his tea.

"Aizawa will tell you this later, but a week after your finals, there will be a summer training camp lasting for a week," Nezu said with his calm voice. He knows that Araki already knows what he is talking about but the kid is still giving an innocent smile.

"Now, before that, there will be a practical exam with the pairs of students fighting the teachers. Do you know who you're paired up with and who your opponent is?"

"No, sir?"

"Well… that's obvious. But that's where I'll be needing you." Nezu then tells him the situation and Araki simply nods. The two have reached an agreement and Araki leaves the room. Aizawa soon enters with a coffee and papers in his arms.

"Did he agree, sir?" Aizawa puts down the papers and drinks on his mug. "Yes."

"I assume that he won't just lose. How'd you do it, sir?" He asks.

"He's going on a vacation to America after his finals, right? That's his old man's request to the FBI for permission to interrogate him. They weren't granting a visa to him ever since a child given his background. So, in exchange for winning… I mean passing the exam, I agreed to let him go independent. Of course, I told him that passing isn't just about winning or losing. He has to act and do his part."

"Independent? Are you sure that we can do that?" Aizawa stressfully asks.

"He still needs to have an adult with him but it will not be the teachers. Also… do you really think that the FBI will agree to the Old Man's demands without fully considering it?"

"I'll go do my work now, sir." "Thank you for the help. You may go back now."

…

"So… is everyone here now?" Aizawa sees the students in their hero costumes with the teachers by his side. "Let's begin your practical exam."

Aizawa explains the exam which surprises everyone as they didn't think that they'll be fighting the teachers.

"We're screwed!" Denki said as Jirou hits her on the head. "I'm pretty sure that the most important part of the exam is that it's more practical. So maybe the teachers will hold back." Momo intervenes.

Aizawa just laughs making them even more nervous. He takes out a list as all the teachers look at the students.

"The matchups are already decided." The students all gulped as they hear that. Kirishima even asks, "Is All Might not included in the fighting teachers?" And as if jinxing it, everyone notices a tall shadow at the corner of their eyes. They turn to it and see All Might in his Golden Age costume. He was behind Araki who was beside Denki, making the latter almost jump in nervous.

"Anyways, here's your pairings. Uraraka and Aoyama versus Thirteen. Iida and Ojiro versus Power Loader. Sero and Mineta versus Midnigh-" It didn't even finish before they can hear Mineta exclaim in satisfaction making everyone weirdly look at him.

'Should I send him to Hound Dog for counseling? Whatever.' Aizawa thought as he continues announcing the fight.

"Hagakure and Shoji versus Snipe. Koda and Jirou versus Mic. Asui and Tokoyami versus Ectoplasm. Kaminari and Ashido versus Principal Nezu… And Yaoyorozu and Todoroki, versus me." As soon as the students heard their enemies, they breathe a sigh of relief. Even if it was a teacher, they thought that at least it wasn't against the number 1 pro hero in Japan.

However, four- three students were confused. The first to speak out on this is Izuku. "Uhm, Sir Aizawa. I think you forgot about the four of us. Kirishima, Bakugo, and Araki. Four of us don't have any pairings yet." The students all stopped when they realized this. They all looked at Aizawa.

"Oh… about that. The principal and the others have agreed that you three…" 'Three? Not four? Are we fighting All Might?' Izuku and the others thought the same.

"Will fight Araki." There was silence for a whole ten seconds. The one who broke it was Bakugo, who was fuming in rage.

"What is this school!? Are you saying this fucker is stronger than the three of us combined? Or stronger than a pro hero like you!?" His words were harsh but none of the teachers were offended. They were not only used to his personality but also waiting for Aizawa's explanation.

"That's something that all of us, including the Principal, have thought through. We, the teachers, will be wearing bracers from the Support Class. With that, our physical abilities will be reduced. Also, for the others fighting a teacher, their winning condition is to escape the compound OR to restrain the teachers with special cuffs. However… for you guys, it will be different."

"What is it, sir!" Kirishima asked excitedly, contrasting the angry Bakugo.

"There'll be no cuffs. And the goal… It's simply to defeat him. I'm not talking about a competition like the Sports Festival where you can take them out of the ring and you win or that you can't do something that's against the rules. In this fight, there will be no rules. You're the hero, and he's the villain. You have to defeat him to win." Aizawa made it simple but everyone has mixed feelings about it.

Some were confused, some were curious, some were excited, some were nervous, and Bakugo is angry. He can't believe that all of the teachers are underestimating him right now. To him, he'd rather fight All Might one-on-one than be told to work with others TO DEFEAT Araki. Luckily, All Might was there.

"Young Bakugo. Believe me when I say this, but if you think that you are being underestimated, you're not. In fact, this challenge might be harder than everyone else's or even against fighting me while braced. The same applies to you too Young Kirishima and Young Midoriya." All Might said as he gave them a thumbs up.

"Let's go now. We don't have all day." Aizawa said as the teachers left their position and the students followed suit. The only one left is Araki who Bakugo is staring at. He was stretching his joints and limbs as he followed after. The four of them get on a bus as All Might will still supervise them.