Takeru POV
Midnight cracked her whip with a sensual flourish as she said, "Takeru Kurogane of Class 1-A, the top scorer of the U.A. Entrance Exam and the class president, will give the speech to commence this year's Sports Festival."
Takeru floated above his classmates and landed on the podium. He could feel the cameras clicking frantically. Shun had spent the past two weeks coaching him on everything from camera angles to deflecting controversial reporter questions without seeming rude. Media training, as he called it. Takeru sighed inwardly but put on his best smile.
Midnight glanced up at him, lips curving into a familiar, teasing smile. "You're up, President. Try not to make the rest of us look bad… unless you want me to punish you." She gave him a salacious look and licked her lips.
Takeru shuddered internally. Neijire-chan was already freaky enough for him.
He smiled back easily, dipped his head in polite acknowledgment, and drifted down toward the podium. The moment his shoes touched the surface, he could see hundreds of pairs of eyes locked on him. He knew that through those cameras, all of Japan was watching. If he could sweat, he would have. Then he saw Kendo smiling, smiled back, and put on his game face.
"Thank you," he began, his voice carrying cleanly across the stadium. "On behalf of the first-year hero course, I want to say we're honored to stand here today."
He delivered Shun-san's politically correct speech with as much earnestness as he could muster.
"This festival isn't just about winning," he continued. "It's about showing what we've learned, what we believe in, and how we'll face the world when it looks back at us. We'll compete hard, but we'll do it as heroes—pushing ourselves, respecting each other, and proving that the future is in capable hands."
He paused, letting the words settle.
"I promise you this," he finished. "You won't be disappointed."
The stadium applauded, and Takeru bowed once gracefully before lifting off again to stand among his class. He could feel the competitive glances from Todoroki and Bakugo as they all walked to the locker room for their final preparation before the obstacle course, which was a moot point for someone like him.
The locker room noise faded as Todoroki stepped forward, stopping a few paces from Kurogane. His voice was controlled, but the challenge beneath it was unmistakable. "Today, I'll beat you. I'll prove who deserves to be number one."
Kurogane looked up slowly, eyes sharp, then laughed under his breath. "You?" he said. "Not if you keep fighting with one hand tied behind your back. You are no hero—just someone with a strong quirk."
The room stilled. Todoroki's eyes bore into him with hatred.
"A hero is someone who fights with everything they have to save people," Kurogane continued, his tone cutting but calm. "I don't know what issues you have with your father, and frankly, I don't care. The world doesn't care. If you refuse to use everything you have, you're not serious about being a hero."
Todoroki's composure shattered. "You know nothing about me," he snapped, frost creeping along the floor at his feet. "Don't pretend you understand—"
"I understand enough," Kurogane interrupted. He gestured broadly to the room. "I respect Hanabi-chan despite his shitty personality because he gives everything he has. I respect Mineta, Midoriya, Iida. I respect everyone in this class who is trying their best to become a hero, to use their powers to save people. You, on the other hand, are not worth my time. You would let someone die rather than use all your power because you hate your daddy. That is not a hero."
Midoriya stiffened. Bakugo erupted behind them. "WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU—?!"
No one paid him any attention.
Kurogane's gaze returned to Todoroki. "Every single person in this class will become a better hero than you. Worse, someone who could have been saved is going to die because you didn't go all out. Would you be able to live with yourself if that happened? Being a hero is about saving people and accomplishing the mission. It's not about your vendetta with your father."
Silence followed, thick and heavy.
Todoroki's fists trembled at his sides, fury burning behind his eyes—but for once, he had no immediate reply.
Takeru walked off as Bakugo screamed in the background and Todoroki stood there seething. Takeru felt he had been too harsh, but the things that needed to be said had been said. He understood he was in some anime world; he had thought he was the protagonist until he met Todoroki. The kid had everything—the looks, the brooding personality, the background. If Takeru had not met All Might and learned the secret of OFA, he would still have believed Todoroki was the hero of the story. It wasn't hard to deduce that the boy hated his father, considering how he had flinched when his name was mentioned during their first meeting.
Fuck it. I have a show to put on. No more babysitting.
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As the students gathered for the obstacle race, Takeru touched down near the front. He rolled his shoulders, the crowd parting to make way for his landing. Damn, it feels good to be able to fly, he thought to himself.
"Hey, President." The voice came from his left. "Good speech. Very heroic. Thought I'd congratulate you before we get started. A lot of people think there's a rivalry between Class 1-A and 1-B. I just believe we're here for some healthy competition—nothing more."
He was a well-kept, handsome boy with neatly combed blond hair. But behind his eyes, Takeru sensed deceit and barely contained malice. "I'm Neito Monoma. Nice to meet you."
Takeru smiled a knowing smile and shook his hand. "Thank you. Good luck, Monoma-san."
The boy burst into manic laughter that Takeru found quite disturbing.
Takeru shook his head and focused on the race. The buzzer blared.
The world detonated. Two sonic booms cracked through the stadium as Takeru and Monoma launched forward at the same instant, the shockwaves ripping dust and debris into the air and sending nearby students stumbling. Takeru was surprised at Monoma and glanced sideways—and froze for half a heartbeat. Monoma was flying with relatively good form, cackling maniacally, though Takeru was nowhere near top speed.
So it really worked… he can copy even a mutant-type quirk like mine. Interesting, Takeru thought as laughter bubbled up from his chest while they cleared a few hundred meters in a breeze. Monoma's laughter stopped abruptly when he saw Takeru laughing, which turned into a predatory grin. Every instinct in Monoma told him something very bad was about to happen.
"Five minutes, right?" Takeru said cheerfully. "Let's make it fun."
Takeru appeared in front of Monoma as if he had been teleported. The punch landed squarely, sending Monoma hurtling through the air and straight into a zero-pointer's chest. Metal crumpled. The robot collapsed. Takeru was already there, grabbing Monoma by the leg and using his body like a club. The crowd erupted at the display of power.
Monoma screamed as Takeru spun and slammed him into another zero-pointer, the impact sending a shockwave rippling across the field. Takeru laughed openly now, exhilarated by being able to unleash a modicum of his power. Finally—someone who could take it. Someone who wouldn't shatter on contact.
"STOP—WAIT—! Please!" Monoma squealed.
"Hahaha, thank you so much, Monoma-san. You have no idea how happy you've made me," Takeru said, his voice full of elation.
He tossed Monoma back toward the other contestants. Monoma tried to steady himself, but Takeru appeared right above him, smashing him into the ground with both fists. Monoma no longer feared death; he welcomed it, as long as it took him away from this giant gorilla.
Takeru grabbed one of Monoma's legs, lifted him into the air, and smashed him into the ground again and again while laughing like a madman. The other contestants were in utter shock at the amount of violence being displayed. Bakugo and Todoroki were wide-eyed but quickly upped their pace, hoping to win before Takeru came to his senses—or worse, turned his wrath on them.
Takeru came to his senses soon. Monoma was bruised but largely fine; his shirt was reduced to rags and his pants were full of holes. Takeru had held back, but even letting loose a little was an opportunity he had never gotten. He had tasted something while fighting that Nomu at the USJ, and he wanted to feel that same feeling again.
But others were progressing with the race. Takeru could see Todoroki, Bakugo, Midoriya, and Iida were almost at the minefield section. Takeru seized Monoma by the face, his massive hand covering it entirely. Bakugo and Todoroki were navigating the minefield as he flew there. Takeru dragged Monoma face-first along the ground, plowing straight through the minefield. Explosions erupted around him harmlessly, but Todoroki and Bakugo were caught in the blast and sent backward.
Takeru held Monoma by the scruff of his neck. Monoma had experienced all five stages of grief in a matter of three minutes and had completely accepted his fate.
"Thank you, Monoma-san."
Takeru punched him in the stomach with such force that a shockwave erupted, knocking other contestants off their feet and sending Monoma shooting like a cannonball into Kirishima and the metal guy from Class 1-B, who had been bickering with each other. All three formed a neat five-meter-wide crater.
Around them, the other contestants froze in shock, then scrambled to resume the course, carefully navigating the destruction Takeru had carved through it.
Takeru shook his head. I may have taken things a bit too far in my excitement, he thought as he flew easily past the finish line well ahead of everyone. The stadium erupted in cheers—mostly. Some of the pro heroes watched him with apprehension, understanding the magnitude of his power and the ferocity he had displayed in his battle lust.
Takeru cringed, knowing Shun-san was going to be livid. He had not followed the plan after all. Takeru flew around the stadium with a smile, giving high fives to children and members of the crowd, who were enthusiastic in their cheering.
He saw Todoroki and Bakugo neck and neck when black tendrils wrapped around them and Midoriya jumped past them to take second place. Takeru was shocked. What the hell was that? The surprise was clear even in Eraserhead's voice. Todoroki managed to take third, and Bakugo—livid—ended up fourth.