The bleachers of Class 1-A were in complete silent chaos—that kind of heavy silence that only happens when no one can process what they just saw.
Kaminari was the first to break it, hands flying to his head, eyes wide.
"…Can someone explain to me what the hell just happened?!"
Sero blinked several times, still staring at the suddenly destroyed arena.
"Dude…" he murmured. "I don't even know how to explain it, I'm starting to think I'm dreaming."
"I swear, all I saw," Jiro said, brow furrowed, "was the arena floor cracking… then two beams of light clashing… and then an explosion."
Mina immediately turned to her, eyes shining with curiosity.
"Wait, Jiro… how did you manage to see all of that?!"
Jiro opened her mouth, paused… and closed it again.
"…I don't even know how," she admitted honestly, letting out a half-sigh. "I just saw it."
Kirishima, on the other hand, looked absolutely radiant. He punched his own palm, excited like a kid.
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" he exclaimed. "Once again, Takeda delivered an insane fight for us, and Dash didn't disappoint either! Hey, Bakugo, what did you think of that?!"
The response didn't come in words.
"GRRRRHHH!!"
Bakugo let out a muffled growl behind the metal protective mask covering part of his face. He thrashed violently in the reinforced seat, the restraint straps creaking as he pulled in vain.
Still hot-headed from his loss to Midoriya, he looked like a caged animal, red eyes burning with pure rage.
Momo watched the scene, brow furrowed, clearly uncomfortable.
"He…" she began, choosing her words carefully, "looks like a high-security prisoner like that…"
"Not elegant at all," Aoyama added, wrinkling his nose.
Tokoyami tilted his head slightly, analyzing Bakugo like a dark work of art.
"Strangely," he said in his deep voice, "it suits his aura."
Uraraka couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh beside them.
"Yeah… can't even argue with that," she commented, then turned around cheerfully. "And you, Iida? What do you—"
She stopped when she noticed the seat next to her was empty.
"…Huh?" Uraraka blinked, surprised. "Where did Iida go?"
Some began looking around, confused, but no one seemed to have noticed the class president slipping out amid the chaos.
Meanwhile, in the commentator's booth, Present Mic was practically hanging over the table, staring at the arena with a mix of shock and disbelief.
"Hey, Aizawa," he said, pointing down. "Are these really our students?! Because this doesn't look like a student competition anymore, it looks like a battle between monsters disguised as students!"
Aizawa didn't even bother turning his face fully.
"Probably both," he said.
Present Mic blinked.
"…What?!"
"Students and monsters," Aizawa continued, tired but watchful behind the bandages. "Probably the students with the most monstrous potential in U.A. history."
He pulled his scarf a little higher, staring at the destroyed arena.
"And that," he finished with a smile under the bandages, "makes me a little excited about their future."
----------------------------------------
The audience barely had time to catch their breath from the last battle as Present Mic announced the start of the second semifinal duel.
The sound of impact echoed through the arena as Midoriya rolled to the side, narrowly escaping another barrage of horns that sliced through the air like guided missiles.
"Damn it…!" he thought as he ran in a zigzag across the devastated field, trying to shake off the projectiles fired by Pony.
The horns tore into the ground behind him, shattering concrete and kicking up clouds of dust. Even so, they didn't slow down.
"Do I have a chance... against Takeda?"
The question hammered at his mind—persistent, heavy.
"He's absurdly strong, like he showed against Todoroki… Absurdly fast, like he showed against Dash…" Midoriya muttered to himself, leaping over a pair of horns launched by Pony. "And he still has other abilities he's probably hiding…"
The name Takeda seemed to carry a different weight now. It wasn't just fear—it was respect. Something that forced him to rethink everything.
Midoriya spotted Pony floating at a distance, naturally balanced atop her own horns, moving with aerial agility while keeping space between them. It had been almost five minutes since she'd allowed him to get genuinely close.
Pony spun in midair, the horns repositioning beneath her feet like living platforms, while four others lined up behind her, ready to strike again. Her eyes were sharp and tense—very different from the shy image she projected outside of combat.
Midoriya clenched his fists.
"On top of all that…Takeda is also a true genius."
The memory surfaced without warning: Ryo's movements, the way he used his own body, as if every muscle were a natural extension of his Quirk.
"He made me see One For All in a way I'd never even imagined…" Midoriya admitted silently. "Maybe it's because his Quirk is a bit similar to mine…"
He took a deep breath.
"No… that's not true."
Midoriya closed his eyes for a brief instant, then focused One For All into his legs.
25%
The ground cracked.
In an explosive burst, Midoriya shot forward in a straight line, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. The wind tore through the arena behind him.
"Huh—?!" Pony's eyes widened.
Instinctively, she fired more horns, the barrage coming straight at him to intercept—but it was already too late. Midoriya passed right by her, the wind from his movement whipping her hair.
In a single fluid motion, he grabbed the back of her uniform collar. Pony let out a small cry of surprise as the horns supporting her instantly lost stability.
"S-sorry!" Midoriya said quickly, sincerely, as he pulled her away from the horns and twisted his body.
Carefully, he threw her out of the arena with controlled force.
Pony landed outside the boundary, rolling across the ground before coming to a stop. Her horns fell harmlessly around her, control lost.
"VICTORY FOR MIDORIYA!!"
Midoriya stood still for a moment, breathing heavily, staring at his legs as they trembled with pain—yet remained intact.
"Even so… If it weren't for his words…"
Ryo Takeda's image surfaced in his mind once more.
"…I wouldn't be using One For All the way I do now!"
With that, Midoriya left the arena in silence, the deafening roar of the crowd fading away as he entered the tunnel. His footsteps echoed through the empty corridor as he raised his clenched fist before his eyes.
"I've improved…" he thought, watching the slight tremors in his fingers. "Far more than before."
He opened and closed his hand.
"And yet… I don't think I stand a chance against him."
The thought weighed on his chest like an anchor.
"Young Midoriya!"
The familiar voice made him stop abruptly.
"Huh…?"
He looked up—and his eyes widened in pure shock.
A few meters away, standing casually in the tunnel, was All Might.
"A-All Might?!" Midoriya exclaimed in disbelief.
For a second, he thought he was imagining things. The next, he was already running toward him, his face breaking into a wide smile.
"All Might! I-I didn't expect to see you here!"
All Might smiled, adjusting his posture.
"Hoho! I've been here since the beginning of the festival. I just thought I'd stop by to check on you, Young Midoriya. It's been a while, after all."
Midoriya laughed, excited, but his smile faltered when his eyes instinctively drifted down to his mentor's body… stopping at the amputated left arm.
"All Might…" he asked, his voice carrying restrained concern. "Are you okay…?"
"I am. In fact…" he placed his right hand over his chest, smiling confidently. "I'm better than ever!"
Midoriya hesitated, then slowly nodded.
All Might took a step forward and placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder.
"You know…" he continued, "I'm truly surprised. Your progress is absurdly fast, even by my standards, Young Midoriya. Honestly, I still don't understand how you learned to use One For All this way so quickly… almost overnight."
Midoriya's eyes widened slightly.
"I… I just tried to apply everything I learned…"
"If that's the case," All Might interrupted, serious yet proud, "then keep going like this. You're on the right path."
They walked a few steps together through the tunnel, Midoriya explaining in more depth the new way he had learned to use One For All—the percentages, the risks, and possible training methods. He explained how he began distributing the power throughout his body, how he reduced the damage… and then, almost without realizing it, he said:
"All of this… was thanks to Takeda's advice."
All Might raised an eyebrow.
"Takeda… Young Takeda?"
Midoriya nodded, forming a tired half-smile.
"He helped me see One For All in a different way. But…" his smile faded slightly, "I don't know if that still gives me any chance against him."
A heavy silence fell.
All Might didn't hesitate to speak the truth.
"You have zero chance against him."
The answer came straight, firm… almost cruel.
"Huh…?"
Midoriya felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. He took half a step back, his eyes trembling as he stared at his mentor.
"Z-zero… chance…?"
All Might kept his gaze serious.
"Yes. Zero."
The weight of those words crashed down on the boy all at once. His shoulders slumped, his posture wilting as he lowered his gaze, discouraged.
"I figured…" he murmured.
Then—
"But that's not something you should be discouraged by."
Midoriya immediately lifted his head.
All Might smiled now, wearing that warm smile he knew so well.
"Young Midoriya, you don't need to win this tournament."
He squeezed the boy's shoulder more firmly.
"You don't need to win to show the world the power of the next Symbol of Peace."
His green eyes widened.
"What you need to do," All Might continued, pride and sincerity in his voice, "is show the potential of the next Symbol of Peace!"
Midoriya's heart pounded.
"Show that he exists. That he's growing. That he's learning."
All Might leaned in slightly to look him in the eye.
"And in that… you're already succeeding. So keep showing everyone your progress and effort—show them the potential of the next Symbol of Peace!"
Midoriya swallowed hard, feeling the weight of doubt slowly fade from his heart, replaced by determination.
"Sure!"
----------------------------------------
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Present Mic's voice echoed throughout the stadium. "THE FINAL MOMENT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!"
The entire stadium seemed to hold its breath. Nervous, excited, anxious gazes. The air itself vibrated.
"THE BEST OF THE BEST OF U.A.'S FIRST YEARS WILL BE DECIDED RIGHT NOW!" he continued, raising his voice even higher. "THE FINAL DUEL… RITO TAKEDA VS IZUKU MIDORIYA!"
The explosion of sound was immediate.
"AAAAAH, I'M SO EXCITED!" Mina cheered, almost jumping in place. "This is gonna be epic—like, I hope it's just as epic as the others!"
"I hope so too, ribbit," Tsuyu replied, a little excited.
"Man, this final is kinda already decided…" Sero said with a nervous laugh. "Everyone knows who's gonna win."
Kaminari brought a hand to his chin, thoughtful.
"Hmm… and who do you guys think is gonna win?"
Absolute silence followed.
The entire Class 1-A slowly turned their faces toward him, their expressions blank—almost offended.
"…You're kidding right now, right?" Sero asked incredulously.
"Huh?" Kaminari blinked. "What? I just—"
"Brain-dead idiot," Jiro cut in dryly, not even looking at him.
"HEY?!"
In the arena, Midoriya took a deep breath, trying to suppress the nervousness that made his heart beat erratically. His eyes trembled slightly as he stared at Ryo standing before him.
"I… made it to the finals…"
He brought his clenched fist to his chest.
"Mom… I managed to reach the finals…!"
"You're not very good at hiding your emotions," Ryo said.
Midoriya flinched.
"E-eh?!"
"That can give your opponent an advantage," he continued calmly. "In case you didn't know."
Midoriya scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, letting out a nervous laugh.
"Is… is it really that obvious?"
"Yes."
"…I see." Midoriya sighed, momentarily defeated, before lifting his gaze with a sincere smile. "You've been giving me useful advice all this time… so I want to thank you."
He smiled with determination and took a fighting stance.
"I'll show you all the progress I've made because of your words!"
Ryo, on the other hand, remained still. His expression was completely emotionless.
"ARE YOU READY?!" Present Mic shouted. "READY… BEG—"
Ryo vanished.
"…?!"
In an instant, he appeared behind Midoriya.
"Sorry, Midoriya," he said casually. "I'm not in the mood for another long fight like the one with Todoroki."
"WH—?!"
Midoriya barely had time to turn around.
SMACK!
Ryo's fist struck the top of his head in a brutal blow. The impact was sharp and devastating, hurling Midoriya into the arena floor with enough force to crack the ground.
The boy lost consciousness and lay motionless.
Ryo looked down at him, breathing steadily.
"You may have just started taking long strides now…" he said quietly. "But I took those same steps years before you."
Midnight raised her arm.
"Izuku Midoriya is incapacitated! Victory goes to Rito Takeda!"
"AND WITH THAT, THE TOURNAMENT HAS COME TO AN END!" Present Mic announced, his voice echoing through the stadium. "THE WINNER OF THE U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL FIRST YEAR IS… RITO TAKEDA, FROM CLASS 1-A OF THE HERO COURSE!!!"
The stadium erupted in applause, cheers, and roaring excitement from everyone who was able to witness this historic moment face-to-face.
----------------------------------------
Minutes after the explosive finale, the arena was reorganized for the award ceremony. At the center of the stadium—now restored enough for the event—the podium stood prominently, drawing every gaze.
There stood the champions of the festival.
At the center, in first place, Ryo Takeda remained standing with a relaxed posture, hands in his pockets and an expression far too calm for someone who had dominated the entire tournament.
"I'm tired as hell…" Ryo thought.
To his right, Izuku Midoriya held second place. The boy was visibly nervous, shoulders slightly hunched, hands restless as he tried not to look directly at the crowd. His face carried a mix of embarrassment, pride, and frustration—a silent whirlwind of emotions.
Sharing third place, Dash Parr stood beside Pony Tsunotori. The blond boy smiled shyly, still a bit awkward about sharing the spot with a girl, while Pony waved energetically to her class, her horns swaying lightly as she moved.
"PONYYY! YOU WERE AMAZIIIING!" Kendo shouted.
"YOU REPRESENTED US UNTIL THE VERY END!" Kinoko added.
Tetsutetsu, tears streaming freely down his face, sobbed without a shred of shame.
"Y-you… you did way too good!" he said, wiping his face with his forearm. "You represented Class B like no one else… sniff… I'm so damn proud!"
Pony looked visibly flustered, her face turning red as she smiled at her classmates.
"T-thank you…!" she said in Japanese, bowing her head slightly. "I'm really happy you think that…"
Dash watched the scene curiously, scratching the back of his neck before speaking, a little hesitant.
"Uh…" he pointed lightly at her. "You… know Japanese?"
Pony immediately turned to him, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh! I'm learning!" she replied cheerfully. "I mean… I still make a lot of mistakes, but I don't want to be stuck behind a language barrier forever."
Dash thought about it for a second, nodding slowly.
"Yeah… I get that."
Pony clasped her hands behind her back, leaning slightly toward him, curious.
"And you? You don't know Japanese?"
"Uh… no… not at all…" he admitted, a bit embarrassed.
Her eyes lit up even more.
"Then… if you want… we can learn together!"
Dash's eyes widened.
"R-really…?"
"Uh-huh!" she confirmed firmly, nodding.
The blond's face turned red in an instant before he broke into a wide, genuinely excited smile.
"Then… yeah! I'd love that!"
"ATTENTION, EVERYONE!" Midnight announced as she walked to the front of the arena. "We will now begin the award ceremony!"
She paused dramatically.
"And the one who will have the honor of presenting the medals will be—"
Before she could finish, a gust of wind tore through the sky.
A massive shadow descended like a missile, landing at the center of the arena with an impact that made the ground tremble. Dust rose… and then, through it, an unmistakable wide grin appeared.
"I AM HERE!" All Might bellowed. "TO PRESENT THE MEDALS!"
The stadium erupted in shock, applause, and hysterical cheers.
"Is that really All Might?!"
"Am I dreaming, or is that really him?!"
"I haven't seen him since that incident!"
"All Might, look this way! Look at the camera!"
In the stands, Jack-Jack squirmed excitedly in his mother's arms.
"IT'S ALL MIGHT! IT'S HIM! IT'S REALLY HIM!" he shouted, pointing nonstop.
Helen held him carefully, smiling in surprise.
"Yes, sweetheart… it's really him." She shook her head, still in disbelief. "I honestly didn't expect him to show up like this, out of nowhere."
Bob watched in silence, arms crossed, his serious gaze fixed on the Symbol of Peace.
"He's changed a lot since the last time I saw him…"
He paused briefly, sighing.
"Looks like even the greatest of them all feels the weight of age."
Meanwhile, All Might began distributing the medals under the watchful eyes of the entire stadium.
First, he turned to the third-place winners.
"Young Dash and Pony!" he announced with his signature smile.
He crouched slightly to their height, placing the bronze medal around Pony's neck first. She held the metal with both hands, her eyes shining.
"Congratulations. Your quirks are strong," All Might said in a firm yet warm tone. "But relying on them alone will not be enough when you face truly cruel challenges. Use your inner strength as well. It can open up an entire world of opportunities… and make you even stronger."
"Okay!" Pony replied immediately, excitedly raising her fist.
All Might then placed the second bronze medal around Dash's neck. The blond straightened instantly, raising a hand to his forehead in an almost automatic salute.
"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!" he replied in a military tone.
All Might laughed loudly, pleased, before moving on.
"Young Midoriya. Congratulations on second place."
Midoriya nearly jumped in surprise when All Might stopped in front of him, the hero placing the silver medal around his neck.
"Your growth and effort throughout this festival deserve great praise," he said. "You showed courage, determination, and real evolution. Keep it up."
"Th-thank you…!" Midoriya replied, bowing hastily.
However, his gaze couldn't leave All Might's strangely intact left arm.
All Might noticed.
Without saying a word, he discreetly raised his right hand and lightly tapped the left forearm—tap tap, like knocking on a door.
The sound was… hollow.
Midoriya's eyes widened.
"A-a prosthetic…? That realistic?!"
All Might's smile widened even more, his eyes half-lidded with amusement, thinking to himself that the boy was just as surprised as he had been.
"I was surprised too when Nezu brought it to me at the last minute… and I wasn't going to miss the chance to use it to appear here."
He placed his left hand—the prosthetic—firmly on Midoriya's shoulder.
"I have high expectations for you from now on, Young Midoriya."
Midoriya's face crumpled. Tears filled his eyes instantly.
"Y-yes…!" he said, wiping his face quickly with his sleeve. "I… I'll do my best!"
All Might nodded, satisfied, before finally turning to the center of the podium.
"And now… first place. Young Takeda."
Ryo remained still as All Might placed the gold medal around his neck. The metal gleamed under the stadium lights.
"Congratulations on first place, Young Takeda," he said with genuine pride. "Your mother must be very proud of you, especially since you mentioned during your speech that you wanted to win for her."
Ryo made a slight grimace, scratching the back of his neck.
"T-Thanks…"
"Actually, I let that slip without thinking. I was kind of nervous at that moment…" he thought. "I mean, I never even expected to have to give a speech in the first place…"
All Might continued:
"Your strength and the speed with which you finished your duels in an instant were all impressive."
He paused briefly, his gaze sharpening.
"But I also saw that you chose to take your time in the fight against Todoroki." All Might's smile grew. "I don't know exactly what you said to make him use his flames… but you have a good voice for guiding people."
Ryo lifted his gaze slightly.
"I just did what I thought was best at the time."
All Might gave his shoulder a firm, friendly pat.
"Then keep walking that path. It's one of the most important qualities someone as strong as you can have."
Ryo nodded silently.
All Might then turned to the crowd, raising his left arm with pride.
"These four young individuals have shown what it means to fight with everything they have. They've inspired not only their peers but millions across the country. They are the symbols of a new era. And their journey… has only just begun."
He raised his fist, and the entire arena joined in:
"SO… GO BEYOND!!!"
The entire arena erupted in a unified roar alongside All Might.
"PLUUUUUS ULTRAAAAA!!!"