In the VIP Room, the silence was broken only by the distant murmur of the arena. The massive screen ahead displayed the final moments of the Cavalry Battle, the timer running out as teams fought until the very last second.
All Might crossed his arm, an excited smile spread across his face.
"Dash's team is going to pass almost unscathed. Their headband wasn't even touched," he commented, impressed.
Nezu, sitting atop the table with his tiny legs gently swinging, agreed with a calm nod.
"Indeed. It was unexpected to see someone from Class B join Takeda and Dash's team… but in the end, they formed the most stable formation of all. Ah, how unity is rewarded."
All Might chuckled softly, but soon his eyes returned to the screen, searching for the final results.
He remembered well that Midoriya's team was in fourth place. The boy had surprised him in the obstacle race, using One For All in a way he had never imagined. All Might was eager to see how far he would go in this festival.
But his smile vanished when he looked at the rankings.
"That can't be…" he murmured, eyes wide.
In the commentator's booth, Aizawa—wrapped in bandages and wearing his eternally tired expression—slightly raised his head at the sudden turn of events.
"Huh?"
Present Mic practically threw himself against the glass, leaning in so much he nearly kissed it.
"WHAT?!"
In the final seconds, while most teams were busy defending themselves or attacking others, Shinso's team advanced in silence. A single line of dialogue was enough. Midoriya's team answered on reflex.
The everybody eyes went vacant.
Shinso stretched out his arm and snatched Midoriya's team headband, stealing fourth place at the very last moment.
"NO WAY!" Present Mic shouted, still in disbelief. "TEAM SHINSO STEALS THE FINAL SPOT AT THE LAST SECOND, ADVANCING TO THE NEXT EVENT!"
Shinso turned over his shoulder, looking at the hollow-eyed Midoriya with an arrogant smile.
"Sorry…" he said, twirling the stolen headband around his finger. "But I'll be taking your spot."
----------------------------------------
With the end of the Cavalry Battle, the stadium fell into a brief state of suspension. A one-hour break was announced before the final event, giving the students time to rest — or to digest bitter defeats.
Class 1-A walked together through one of the corridors toward the cafeteria, their steps slower, their voices scattered.
In the middle of the group, Midoriya dragged his feet, shoulders slumped, his gaze empty—like someone who hadn't fully returned to his own body yet.
"What happened…?"
"How… how did we end up with zero points?"
Beside him, Uraraka tried to keep pace, leaning in slightly to bring herself to eye level with him.
"Hey, Midoriya… it wasn't your fault, okay?" she said carefully, her voice gentle. "We were all caught off guard—anyone could've fallen for something like that…"
But he didn't react. Didn't blink. It was as if she wasn't even there, his mind trapped in that last stolen second.
Further back, Tsuyu let out a soft sigh.
"It's a shame… ribbit," Tsuyu commented, mildly bothered by the result, before turning her head toward Mina. "But congratulations on making it through, Mina-chan."
Mina scratched the side of her head, a crooked smile forming on her face.
"Thanks… but I don't know." She shrugged. "I'm not sure this really counts as a win. Bakugou only picked me to deal with Todoroki's ice."
"Still, you did your part," Tsuyu replied simply.
Up ahead, Momo walked beside Dash, maintaining her elegant posture despite the fatigue.
"Congratulations on first place," she said sincerely. "Your team was exceptional. I must admit, I didn't expect the inclusion of someone from Class B."
Dash chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"To be honest… neither did we. Things just… kind of happened."
Before he could say more, a heavy arm slung itself around his neck.
"BUT IT HAPPENED BEAUTIFULLY!" Kirishima announced, as energetic as ever. "The three of us made it! Me, you, and Takeda! We totally nailed it!"
Dash nearly lost his balance, laughing as he tried to pull away.
"Hey, hey! Easy!"
Kirishima then looked around, frowning.
"…Speaking of which." He blinked a few times. "Where's Takeda?"
The group slowed their pace for a moment. Some students instinctively glanced around.
Momo noticed his absence as well, her gaze sharp.
"That's true… he hasn't been with us since we left the arena."
"He said he had something to take care of," Shoji commented. "Knowing him… he probably went to talk to a teacher. Or the principal."
Kirishima raised an eyebrow, curious.
"Heh." He smiled. "Mysterious guy, huh?"
Meanwhile, in some other corridor far from the main flow of students, Ryo stared at Todoroki, who was returning his gaze with sharp intensity.
He was leaning against the wall, his body far too relaxed for someone who was clearly not there by chance. His bicolored eyes were fixed on Ryo, as if they could cut into him at any moment.
"So, what did you call me here to talk about?" Ryo asked, without much interest. "At this rate, the cafeteria's going to be packed if we don't hurry."
Todoroki didn't answer right away. He simply held his gaze.
The silence dragged on long enough for Ryo to frown.
"…What? Spit it out."
"You're pissing me off," Todoroki finally said, coldly.
Ryo blinked, surprised.
"Huh?"
"You've been overloading me," he continued. "During the Cavalry Battle… the others might not have noticed at the time. But I did."
Todoroki's tone grew more serious.
"At the moment you passed by me, I felt the same abyss of power I felt at USJ. When you defeated that brute."
Ryo's expression hardened.
"What does that have to do with me? Isn't that none of your business?"
"You think it went unnoticed?" Todoroki interrupted.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Are you All Might's illegitimate son or something?"
Ryo's eyes widened for a moment, genuinely confused.
"…What?"
"Just a guess," Todoroki replied dryly. "But one thing I know for sure—you're hiding something."
He pushed himself off the wall, standing upright.
"It was already strange how often you go to the principal's office. The similarities between your quirk and All Might's. And now these private lessons of yours started not too long ago."
Ryo raised an eyebrow, his patience beginning to wear thin.
"So what?" he shot back. "Even if I were hiding something, what do you plan to do about it? Do you really think I'd tell you?"
Todoroki fell silent for a few seconds.
Then he spoke.
"Maybe you don't know this…" he said, his voice lower. "But my father is Endeavor. The current number two hero."
Ryo froze for a moment.
"If you're somehow connected to the number one hero, like I suspect…" Todoroki continued, "that just gives me even more reason to want to surpass you."
He turned his face slightly, recalling uncomfortable memories.
"He was always a power-obsessed bastard," he said with contempt. "But he could never surpass All Might. He saw the abyss of power between them, so he decided to try another path."
Quirk marriages.
One of the greatest problems to emerge in the second generation after the appearance of quirks. Powerful individuals chose partners by force, not out of love, but to produce heirs with stronger versions of their abilities. It was a practice widely condemned and, over time, outlawed—though it still occurs in the shadows.
One of the most well-known cases was that of… Gamma Jack, a direct product of that kind of forced union.
"He destroyed my family because of that," Todoroki continued. "He completely broke my mother with his constant abuse…"
He raised a hand to the scar on his face.
"I can't look at your left side," he repeated coldly. "That's what she said before throwing boiling water on me."
The corridor felt even tenser than usual.
"I hate the fact that I was raised as a pawn for his games," he said. "Nothing more than a tool for that piece of human trash I call my father."
Todoroki lifted his gaze, steady.
"That's why I'll rise to the top without using the side he gave me. I'll reject everything he tried to turn me into."
Then he raised his hand toward Ryo… and clenched it tightly.
"And to do that," he concluded, his eyes burning with irritation, "I'll have to take you out of my way."
Todoroki turned away, already giving his back.
"Keep your secrets however you want," he said coldly, starting to walk down the hallway. "I'll surpass you using only my right side."
He paused briefly, without even looking back.
"Sorry for wasting your time."
His footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Ryo remained still, leaning against the wall, his gaze lowered. Todoroki's words replayed in his mind like an irritating noise. Quirk marriage. Endeavor. Hatred. Ambition.
He closed his eyes.
"So that's it…"
His teeth clenched hard, fists tightening until his nails dug into his skin.
It irritated him.
It irritated him far too much.
He had been through worse. Much worse. People he loved had died by his own hands. He lived hidden from a world that would hate him if it knew who he truly was. A world that had completely broken his mother. Not to mention he had nearly died at USJ.
And yet… here he was.
Standing.
"I'd rather be in his place," he thought bitterly. "His problems would be a relief compared to the shadows I call life."
Who did Todoroki think he was, to place himself above others just because he had suffered?
That ambition was so…
Selfish.Petty.And sick.
"…Pussy."
The word slipped from his mouth, low but heavy.
The footsteps ahead stopped.
Todoroki halted.
He slowly turned around.
"What did you say?"
Ryo lifted his head, Inert Transition activating in response to the stress. His sclera darkened, his irises glowing an intense green that stood out in the corridor's shadows.
"I said you're a fucking pussy."
Todoroki narrowed his eyes.
Ryo took a step forward.
"You may have suffered at your father's hands," he said, his voice low, trembling with restrained anger, "but so what? Does that give you the right to think you deserve to be better than everyone else?!"
He moved closer, the air between them growing heavy.
"You're not the only one in this world, you know? There are people who went through—or are still going through—things far worse than you. People who would give anything to trade places with someone as selfish as you."
Ryo stopped just inches from Todoroki, staring straight into his eyes without looking away.
"So you know what?" he snarled. "I accept your challenge."
The glow of his irises intensified.
"I will defeat you," he continued, pure contempt in his voice, "and I'll grind that sick ambition of yours into the ground like the piece of shit it is."
At the turn of the hallway, partially hidden behind the wall, Bakugo remained motionless.
He had stopped there by chance—or at least that was what he told himself.
But he ended up overhearing almost the entire conversation between Ryo and Todoroki.
Bakugo's red eyes widened more than usual upon hearing the final outcome, his hard expression breaking into one of genuine surprise.
He stayed there for another second, staring into the empty corridor, absorbing the words he had heard before turning away and leaving in silence.
----------------------------------------
As soon as the one-hour break came to an end, all the qualified students were called back into the arena. The stadium roared once more with the presence of the crowd, the anticipation almost palpable in the air.
Present Mic took the microphone, spinning it in his hand with enthusiasm.
"I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED THAT LITTLE RECREATIONAL COMPETITION!" he announced, drawing laughter and applause. "BECAUSE NOW… WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE MAIN EVENT!"
The giant screen behind him lit up.
"AMONG THE 16 MEMBERS OF THE WINNING TEAMS, WE'LL BE HOLDING A TOURNAMENT IN A SERIES OF ONE-ON-ONE BATTLES!"
"A tournament?!" Kirishima practically buzzed, clenching his fist. "Like the ones I've seen on TV?! Man, this is gonna be awesome!"
He excitedly tapped Ryo on the shoulder beside him.
"So, Takeda, aren't you fired up too?!"
Ryo answered only with a slow, dry "no," his gaze distant and weighed down by something Kirishima couldn't quite identify.
"Ah… I see…" Kirishima murmured, freezing for a moment.
Confused, he glanced over Ryo's shoulder toward Dash, who stood on the other side. Using exaggerated, improvised sign language, he asked what had happened.
Dash blinked, understood the gestures… and simply shrugged, shaking his head.
He didn't know either.
Meanwhile, Midnight took the floor, explaining that the matchups would be decided by lottery. During the preparations, Ojiro and a Class B student ended up withdrawing for personal reasons and were quickly replaced by Tetsutetsu and Ibara.
Everything finally seemed settled… until a hand rose among the students.
"P-Professor?" Uraraka called out, a bit hesitant.
"Yes, dear?"
"Well… there were supposed to be 16 finalists, right? But counting everyone who made it, there are only 15."
Midnight blinked in surprise, bringing a hand to her chin.
"Oh… really?"
She thought for a moment, her eyes scanning the students, until she noticed the detail.
"I suppose it's because the first-place team only had three members."
A murmur spread throughout the arena.
"Well… in that case, someone else will have to join the tournament."
Before Midnight could continue, Uraraka stepped forward… and shoved Midoriya out of the group.
"U-Uraraka?!" he staggered, nearly tripping.
"Midoriya can go!" she said quickly. "Our team was in fourth place before the headband was stolen at the very last second. That means at least one of us deserves to participate, right?"
Midnight tilted her head thoughtfully before smiling.
"That makes sense. Approved!"
"Huh…?" Midoriya stood there, completely stunned.
He turned to Uraraka, his eyes trembling in disbelief.
She just smiled and gave him a thumbs-up.
"U-Uraraka…" he tried to say, his voice breaking—
And then, unable to hold it in anymore, he burst into tears, sobbing in the middle of the arena as the class reacted with a mix of surprise and applause.
Now that the finalists were officially decided, Midnight announced that the matchups had been drawn. Midoriya hurriedly wiped away his tears, his heart racing, but his gaze remained firm. He was happy to still be at the festival—and more than that, determined. He needed to show the world the power of the next Symbol of Peace.
Fifteen minutes later, that determination almost shattered.
Midoriya stared at the bracket with wide eyes, feeling his stomach drop.
Izuku Midoriya vs. Katsuki Bakugo.
"Of-of all…?" he murmured, incredulous. "Of all people… Kacchan…?"
Of all the fifteen other participants… it really had to be him.
Meanwhile, Dash analyzed the matchups with an excited smile.
"Oh, cool!" he commented. "I'm going against Iida!"
On the other side, Iida adjusted his glasses with excessive force, clearly nervous about facing Dash. Sweat was already trickling down the side of his face.
And Ryo… his name was on the left edge of the bracket.
Rito Takeda vs. Hitoshi Shinso.
Shinso read the name silently. Leaning his head back, he saw the black-haired, green-eyed boy—the same one who had coldly ignored him that one time. A crooked, arrogant smile formed on his face.
Present Mic grabbed the microphone, breaking the tension.
"NOW THAT THE MATCH BRACKET HAS BEEN DECIDED… LET'S TAKE A LITTLE BREAK BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT!" he announced. "TIME FOR THE THRILL-A-MINUTE FESTIVITIES!"
With that, recreational competitions began. Eliminated and qualified students mingled in the games. Some from Class 1-A decided to participate, others preferred to conserve energy… and some, like Ryo, simply disappeared to be alone.
And then, almost in the blink of an eye, time passed.
"ARE YOU READY?!" Present Mic shouted to the audience. "BECAUSE THE ONE-ON-ONE TOURNAMENT IS FINALLY STARTING!"
Class 1-A was already seated in the stands.
"We got a good angle, huh?" Sero commented.
"Feels like first class," Kaminari replied, excited.
"That's because it is first class, idiot," Jiro retorted, crossing her arms.
Midoriya stared at the empty arena, uneasy. Ojiro, sitting beside him, leaned in slightly.
"Did you manage to talk to Takeda?"
"No…" Midoriya answered quietly. "He… refused. And he didn't seem to be in a good mood."
Ojiro scratched his head, concerned.
"That's bad. If he fights like that… the strongest person in our class might end up losing before the tournament even gets going."
Midoriya's heart tightened. His mind went back to the strange feeling of being hypnotized by Shinso. The memories were hazy, clouded… but distorted images of strange figures still echoed in the back of his mind.
Before he could dwell on it, Present Mic's booming voice rang out again.
"WE ARE GOING TO START THE TOURNAMENT'S FIRST MATCH!"
The lights turned on.
From opposite tunnels, Ryo and Shinso emerged and walked toward the arena.
Ryo stepped onto the stage with a cold, distant gaze, as if his mind were elsewhere.
Shinso, on the other hand, maintained that confident smile… like someone who already believed they had won before the fight even began.
"ON ONE SIDE, WITH EYES SHARP AS A KNIFE AND THE CURRENT SECOND FAVORITE OF THE CROWD!" he announced with exaggerated enthusiasm. "RITO TAKEDA, FROM THE HERO COURSE!"
The audience's reaction was immediate: applause, cheers, the stadium buzzing.
"AND ON THE OTHER… Hhmm… Sorry, but this guy hasn't really done anything to stay relevant yet." Present Mic glanced at the card. "HITOSHI SHINSO, FROM THE GENERAL COURSES!"
The introduction was simple, almost disinterested.
While Present Mic explained the rules to the audience, Shinso approached Ryo, wearing that smug smile only he knew how to wield.
"So… do you have any vision for your future?" Shinso began, looking at Ryo as if evaluating every action and expression. "There's no point worrying about how you got here… just like that monkey, talking about his 'stupid honor.'"
Ryo looked away, jaw clenched. Shinso's smile widened, convinced he had the bait, the announcement of the match beginning sounding in the background.
"What kind of idiot would throw an oppor—" The sentence was abruptly cut off as Ryo appeared in front of him in the blink of an eye.
Shinso could have catch many people with his verbal ability, but one thing he didn't know about Ryo was that he was the type to act before speaking, especially in a fight.
In a swift motion, Ryo grabbed Shinso's head and slammed him forcefully into the ground, creating a small crater. The impact echoed across the stage, and Shinso was unconscious before he could react.
Ryo leaned over him, cold and intense eyes fixed.
"Shut your fucking mouth and sleep."
Present Mic, stunned that the battle had ended in seconds, raised the microphone with an excited smile before announcing the winner.
"VICTORY GOES TO RITO TAKEDA!"