44. Once in a lifetime.

Monoma walked onto the freshly cemented arena before me, floating kisses, waving warmly to the cheering crowds as if he were a celebrity.

And he sure could have been with his golden hair and piercing blue eyes, especially in a society where the ideal of masculinity and heroism was just one such man.

Did All Might sire any children, or was he an eternal virgin despite his evident popularity?

Just the thought amused me.

Hiding my smile, I took account of my stores. This day had broken a fair share of my shelves and burnt my books, especially in the obstacle race.

They would recover in time, of course, but that was little assurance for the other event I had planned after this.

That one would break many more of my shelves.

Hopefully, the reward would be worth the risk. If for nothing, then for Eri's sake.

Because if I didn't make it, there would be no super Deku to rescue her this time.

And that would be the real tragedy here, the loss of a great quirk. One I just had to have.

I shook my head.

No time for daydreams.

I have an appetizer to relish.

"Hey! Aren't you the idiot who ate my hair?" Monoma mocked, "Guess quirks don't always match the user huh?"

Trying to rile me up, eh?

Oh, I was so going to enjoy this.

"You know what Monoma?" I said, cheekily, "I'm going to win this, and you won't have a scratch on you."

Midnight gave the go, as Monoma burst into a ball of hair and tooth. Hulking over me by a head, he rushed me straight.

A feint, no doubt.

I summoned his book, and was proven right.

Moments before I moved to dodge him, he dipped to the side, sliding across the floor, hands spread eagle in a horizontal diving pose, attempting to caych me in a stranglehold, any which way I dodged.

My response?

Shelf drop. From a 100 feet up.

Fear flickered in his eyes as he broke into a roll, pushing himself away.

The shelf crashed into the arena, shattering the floor, sending bits of cement flying all around as I leisurely walked around it, coming into Monoma's view.

I could have unsummoned it before it crashed, sure, but where was the fun in that?

The fear in his eyes, the caution in his gait.

His whole body set on alarm, yet even more vulnerable to my devices, as the fear dulled his quick wit.

He was right where I wanted him now, both physically and mentally.

He won't see this coming.

He stood up, avoiding the margins at the corner behind him, as he looked back at me.

I smiled and summoned a thick walkway of shelves, covering every inch of the arena but the one sliver of plot leading him right to me.

Putting myself at a disadvantage no doubt, given that he had superiority over me in terms of speed. At least what speed I had shown yet.

But that was exactly what he was thinking too.

Is this a trap? Why was it so obvious then? Monoma was thinking, as the pages filled with his brain chatter.

Hehehehe. Now that is fun, watching him panic internally at the simplest of tricks - faux sincerity.

But the coup de grace was yet to arrive, as I pulled out a red kerchief, a foot long and wide, spread between my hands evenly, hanging like a tapestry.

I smiled mockingly, as I waved it at my waist, adding insult to injury.

"Fweet!" I whistled.

"Andale andale, uddipa!" I called, looking him in the eyes, and fashioning myself a matador.

Then he understood, and a deep rage boiled within him.

A spectacle. A sideshow.

That was how I was treating him.

And to be honest he was right.

I did need a bombastic ending to this festival, to set a tone for what was to come.

Something outrageous. Truly and utterly unprecedented.

A fight won without throwing a single punch.

I focused all my senses on him as he geared up for a charge.

Time slowed down, as he pushed himself off the floor, down on all fours.

He barreled towards me, seemingly losing all rationale, eyes red.

But I knew what he had planned. He wasn't an idiot, after all.

No sooner had he gotten on all fours, did he lunge up at me, with full force, appearing to want to maul me.

But at the last second, sparks flew from his hand, propelling him to the side, up above my shelves, and in one smooth motion, around to my back.

I fought to keep my grin in check, putting on a mask of disbelief.

He smiled, assured in his victory, as his hands reach out to grab me, and shove me out of bounds.

That was when I unsummoned my shelves and moonwalked back, letting my smirk show.

He had fallen into my trap.

In an instant, his footing was gone, and so was his balance, as he flailed, falling face first onto the floor.

He growled, and got up, glaring daggers at me, ready to go, when suddenly the speakers rang.

"Monoma is put of bounds! The victory goes to Yuji!"

"What?!" Monoma exclaimed, looking down at his feet, spotting the boundary a half an inch away.

"How?" He cried.

"Take a wild guess. Why do you think I pushed you to that corner?" I clued at him.

"The....distance. I misjudged the distance along the diagonal!" He realized.

Yup, he was smart alright.

The arena, despite it's appearance, wasn't a square. Hence the boundary leaned more to one side than the other, a fact of simple observation I hid carefully with my shelves, and one he was unaccustomed to at his new height.

After all, he had just borrowed the quirk.

He couldn't be expected to compensate for the minutia of difference in his spatial awareness at such short notice.

And I had used this weakness to it's fullest, supported by my superhuman precision.

Of course, if it was just that, he'd have noticed.

No, I needed him scared and angry. So much so that he thinks less of terrain and more of my psyche, missing the obvious win condition placed on us.

Beat the opponent into surrender or push them out out bounds.

All I needed to do was make him discard the latter as an option, and the rest was history.

"Bingo!" I said, folding my handkerchief back, "And I won, without throwing a single punch. You practically did my job for me."

"You scheming bastard!" Monoma laughed, "You had me."

"You're taking your defeat surprisingly well. Not angry anymore?" I asked, amused.

"No...no, just....it's so stupid." He laughed, "Defeated by third grade mathematics."

I smiled. That USJ attack really tempered them huh? This was not within my expectations, but it is a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

"If it's any consolation, you would have lost either way." I retorted.

"Oho, is that so? Then how about a rematch?" He asked.

I looked at him and cracked my neck, before responding.

"No. But how about a demonstration?"

"What demonstration?" He asked, intrigued.

"Watch." I said, walking up to Midnight.

"Sensei, can I have the mic. For the victory speech perhaps?" I requested.

Midnight eyed me suspiciously, before handing me the mic, and whispering, "Don't pull a stunt, kid."

"Oh I never!" I said, acting offended.

"You're going to something crazy aren't you?" She asked, sighing defeatedly.

"What do you think?" I replied, grinning ear to ear.

"Just...follow your own advice. Be reasonable." She added, stepping back.

"I'll be reasonable, alright. Just.....plus ultra." I answered, finding All Might in the stands.

"I'll show them." I mouthed, silently, "I AM HERE."

He smiled, giving me a thumbs up, thinking I was just about to give a fiery speech or something.

Oh how wrong he was!

I turned to the audience, tapping the mic to check it's quality.

"Ladies and gentlemen, teachers, students and viewers at home. Wasn't this festival a bit of a dull affair?

No explosions or epic smackdowns, the likes of which,no dount you are used to seeing each year.

So how about a bet this year?

How would you all like to see something that has never happened in the history of UA?" I asked, to a thunderous cheer.

"Yes! Something that none of ypu could have imagined of even in your wildest dreams! A once in a lifetime event!" I announced, as Nezu's face scrunched up in worry beside All Might, and he waved at me to stop whatever I was planning.

Nope. Not when I've come this far.

I turned and faced the direction Mirko was sitting in, seeing her yawn, half asleep.

"Every year, we are given an opportunity to use our performance here as bait to lure in requests for internships.

But we can't choose the ones we want. No. We get what we get.

If the hero you want to intern under doesn't send you a letter, you can't choose them. And that's that.

But I intend to change that!"

I stopped and took in a deep breath, preparing for my next words.

"PRO HERO MIRKO!" I shouted, and her ears perked up, "I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL. FOR A CHANCE AT AN INTERNSHIP AT YOUR AGENCY!"

Now she was awake. Her legs snapped straight and her foot tapped away excitedly as a mad smile filled her face, ears swaying merrily on her head.

"Now we're talking!" She cried out loud, jumping up from her seat, "Finally something interesting!"

She hunched low and jumped off the stands, crashing onto the arena, leaving cracks on the hardened cement.

"Come boy, let's dance!" She smirked, waving at me.

"This is going to be a nightmare! In front of the whole nation!" I heard Midnight lament behind me, as she facepalmed.

"Now now, don't be so down sensei. I'm just spicing up the sports festival a bit." I comforted.

"A bit?! Nezu will have my head for this!" She cried.

"And it'll make a very pretty sight!" I laughed, leaping off the stage onto the arena.

Finally, the main course!