1,835Magnus: And now, we get to the conclusion of the second round of the tournament. It probably won't go as you expect.
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Cursed Blood
Chapter 31
A sinister turmoil.
Hidden away in one of the lesser-used tunnels of UA's Sports Festival Stadium, two truly massive figures were locked in the middle of a heated staring match. The larger of the two, a living legend larger than life, was the Number One Hero, the Symbol of Peace. The other, burning in impotent rage, was his shadow, the Number Two.
"What is the meaning of this All Might?" Endeavor growled, barely keeping his tone civil though nothing could hide the scorn of his words. "Of all the times for you to stick your nose in my business, my family, why now?"
To say Endeavor hated All Might would've been an understatement, but few understood that a significant portion of that loathing was more directed at the Number One as a person rather than as a hero. The larger man's ever-present smile, his constant failure to take things seriously, it made a mockery of every other pro in the country. It was as if the blond were always just on the cusp of teasing that the rest of Japan's heroes were unimportant, that the gap between him and the rest of them was insurmountable, too impossible to even understand.
It made Enji Todoroki's blood boil.
"Perhaps before attempting to tackle the problems of expanding your family…" All Might returned, the mightiest hero's smile dimming to barely wider than a thin line, "You should be more concerned with the problems your family already has?"
Even with his status as the Number Two Hero, even with years of experience in the field, even with his hard-earned reputation as an unflinching warrior… none of that could keep Endeavor from cringing away from the nearly scowling All Might. The Flame Hero took an unconscious step back from the unnatural sight.
"What about… Shoto?" Endeavor asked, his mind quickly discarding all of his failures and focusing on the only 'family' worth mentioning. The blond fool couldn't know of the hardships he'd faced in his quest to create his masterpiece. Not that they mattered now anyway. "He's passed to the second round of the tournament. There was never any doubt he would. Just as there's none that he'll continue to the next after that as well. He has no equal after all."
Clenched fists and a hardening glare were the Number Two's only answer. The burning pro forced himself to swallow normally in the face of such raw frustration from the normally jovial Symbol of Peace.
"No equal? Weren't you paying attention?" All Might nearly hissed, voice still loud enough to echo in the empty tunnel. The Number One's brows furrowed, "That is not the issue here! Young Todoroki nearly froze another student solid. She could've died, and with his next opponent being far more susceptible to cold than normal, his apparent lack of self-restraint could lead to disaster!"
Endeavor clicked his tongue, muscles suddenly unclenching as he realized this was just another instance where their views clashed. He'd been… concerned… for a second there.
"Hn. Well what do you expect?" The Flame Hero groused, crossing his arms defiantly. "My masterpiece is vastly superior to any other. Those around him should understand that by now."
All Might blinked at the audacity of the man before him. On a roll, Endeavor continued, completely missing the disbelief of the mighty hero standing before him.
"In fact, I find it unfair that my Shoto is being asked to go easy on these brats," The Flame Hero spat. "If they can't handle his power, then they should do themselves a favor and just quit while they're ahead."
The air in the tunnel suddenly grew cold, the air becoming weighed down by some unseen pressure. Even the roiling flames of the Number Two Hero sputtered and grew weak.
All Might was reaching the limit of his patience.
"UA is not in the habit of sheltering those unwilling or unable to show consideration for human life," the Symbol of Peace said with a true, undeniable scowl. "If Young Todoroki is unable to keep himself from harming others, the faculty will have no choice but to have him expelled… and admitted to a program for those with Quirks that require specialized methods of control."
Endeavor froze, his mind skipping like a record off track, the words spoken too bizarre to be processed. There was no way All Might had just threatened him with taking away his masterpiece. And for merely showing the power he'd worked so hard to create?
Unacceptable!
"You wouldn't dar—!"
Whatever rant Endeavor might've thought to make was instantly quelled by the ferocious electric blue glare that seared into him as soon as he'd opened his mouth. The surrounding pressure had spiked as well, almost causing the Flame Hero to fall to his knees.
All Might wasn't in the mood.
"Young Todoroki has already been warned. And I fully support Principal Nezu in his decision," the Number One Hero added, hard and sharp as steel. "And if you think your prestige will help you this time my friend, understand this… The backlash UA would face from expelling the son of the Number Two Hero would pale in comparison to the uproar that would be caused if we waited until he actually took the life of another student in a childish tantrum."
Warning given, All Might straightened and turned to leave. Too outraged to speak, Endeavor could only watch in silence as the Symbol of Peace walked away. At the last second before turning a corner, the mightiest hero stopped and gave the Flame Hero one last look, iconic smile back in place.
"But you shouldn't worry," All Might said, a cheerful tinge to his words. "I'm sure whether it's here at UA or with the dedicated staff working at the readaptation program, Young Todoroki will eventually make a wonderful contributing member of society."
As soon as the Number One Hero had said his piece and disappeared, Endeavor hastily snapped himself out of his shock and took out his phone. He'd come too far and sacrificed too much for a bunch of two-bit washed-up wannabes, who were so shit at being heroes that they had to work at a school of all places, to decide they didn't like how his creation acted. While his efforts to acquire the genetic material for an even more powerful model were currently stalled, he couldn't risk his current masterpiece getting thrown off the path to number one spot.
A dark smile grew on upon the burning face of the Flame Hero, thrown in stark contrast by the writhing flames of his Quirk.
If they thought they were going to stop the Todoroki legacy from achieving ultimate greatness, they had another thing coming. His lawyers would see to that.
UA's Sports Festival Stadium, Contestant Arena…
Meanwhile, the match between Momo Yaoyorozu and Fumikage Tokoyami had kicked off without delay. Their flamboyant introductions had earned plenty of cheers and applause, and while the beatific heiress had originally seemed as stoic as ever… it hadn't taken a genius to see that the avian teen had come onto the field much different than before. His normal melodramatic extravagance had been tossed aside and, as soon as the match had begun, he'd seemed to merge with the Quirk entity inside him.
BOOM!
Momo barely evaded the massive blow with a combat roll, straining against the instinctive desire to look back and see what further damage had been caused to the arena floor since the match had started. Keeping her focus, the nimble ravenette instead activated her Quirk and created her go-to kite shield. Turning, she faced her opponent with a frown, the sight that greeted her almost causing her to wish she'd forgone the additional protection in favor of a more maneuverable position.
Where she'd just been only moments ago, was now a sizable crater in the ground…
BAM!
Before she could react, Momo found herself ragdolling backward, the sudden impact causing her newly made shield to sail away. Too busy trying to keep herself in the ring, the heiress didn't notice the iron and steel construct imbed itself into the far wall due to the force. The audience, however, had no such problem.
"HOLY MOLY FOLKS! THE LITTLE LORD OF DARKNESS, THE PRINCE OF SHADOWS HIMSELF TOKOYAMI IS STILL POWERING THROUGH THIS MATCH LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN UNLEASHED! IN THE FACE OF SUCH AN ONSLAUGHT, WHAT CAN OUR CANNY HEIRESS POSSIBLY DO?!"
Momo shook her head to clear it of cobwebs, regaining her senses and unfortunately having to agree with the distracting commentary. The shadow-covered Tokoyami hadn't given her a single second since the match had started to create anything more useful than the simplest of builds. She couldn't even get enough time to create her favorite flash-bang matryoshka dolls.
And it went without saying she'd been dodging his crushing blows by a hairsbreadth the entire time as well.
Like now!
BOOM!
A cloud of dust and debris exploded from where the two combatants had been, obscuring them both from the eyes of the world. All anyone could see is that the avian teen's latest attack, a mighty stomp, had left quite the crater behind.
"Tokoyami is proving another truth of the world of heroics. While many prefer to stick to the claim that brains of brawn is the better tactic, there will always be instances where it won't matter how smart you are against opponents with overwhelming strength. That being said… something… isn't right here…"
UA's Sports Festival Stadium, Class 1-A Seating Box…
"Fuck…" Izuku cursed under his breath, mindful of those present around him even as he realized what was happening down below. "Fumikage's really hurting…"
While most of his classmates were too far away or too engrossed in the destruction below to hear him, Tsuyu caught his murmuring just fine. The frog-girl, having been contentedly sitting in her boyfriend's lap, leaned back into his chest a little more to offer wordless support in the face of the verdanette's introspection.
"Apologies Midoriya-san, but I couldn't help but overhear…" came the calm voice of Mezo Shouji, one of Class 1-A's gentle giants, as the multi-armed teen leaned forward from his seat in the row above the couple. Careful of the floating clothes hanging off one of his human-looking arms, the silvette lowered a transformed tentacle for Izuku to see, the appendage currently wielding an overgrown ear on the end. "Could you please elaborate?"
The young necromancer grimaced, a troubled look darkening his freckled face. It wasn't that he didn't want to explain what was going on, it was just that… he lacked the words. How could he put it in a way that didn't—
"Fumikage and Kyouka became a couple recently," Tsuyu blurted out, blunt as always. The statement earned many startled glances from their surrounding classmates. "He's upset because he saw her get hurt and can't do anything about it."
Nods of sympathy rippled through the present members of Class 1-A at the explanation. On the far side of the group, however, feelings of frustration and jealously had to be stamped out by Kaminari and Sero, the pair still sore their 'teachers' from The Garden had completed their 'reeducation' as men and then STILL refused their offers of a second date.
Even farther separated from the rest of the class, Ojiro launched to his feet and walked away, a scowl carved across his plain features. As if their public display of affection wasn't enough of a slap to the face, the two lovebirds had to then reveal that there was another couple in the class? It was just too much.
He really needed to make a phone call.
Completely ignorant that their tailed classmate had left in a huff, the remaining members of 1-A continued to focus on the latest revelation.
"Lily thinks Fumi-nii should talk to Mr. Candy Cane," the littlest zombie chirped, deciding that she should try to brighten the mood with a little cheerfulness. "And if Mr. Candy Cane apologizes, Lily just knows that everyone will be able to be friends again!"
The undead bluenette was completely oblivious to the awkward smiles that surrounded her after she'd finished speaking. The older, less naïve students didn't want to burst the little ball of sunshine's bubble, but imagining Todoroki apologizing was almost impossible… almost as much as forgetting his new moniker would prove to be…
"If by talk you mean tear that asshole a few new ones and leaving him a head shorter on both ends…" Saki sneered, suddenly speaking up, "Then yeah, that might just work in cooling Feathers off."
At that rather gruesome description, the remainder of Class 1-A felt the sudden urge to return their attention to the arena below.
UA's Sports Festival Stadium, Contestant Arena…
"AAAHHHH!"
Momo couldn't help the cry of distress as she tumbled out of the way of yet another overwhelming attack by her raven-headed friend. The heiress had been forced to cease all attempts at defending herself and had switched instead to flat out avoiding Tokoyami at all costs. That single strike to her kite shield had been enough for the ravenette to understand that the roiling shadow creature that was the avian teen was honestly trying to hit her, and her still trembling arms were proof enough that she wouldn't be able to withstand a lucky blow with such brute force behind it.
BOOM!
Yet another section of the arena was reduced to rubble and crater.
From her position, Midnight looked on with increasing worry. This match had gotten out of hand the instant it was clear that Tokoyami was behaving uncharacteristically aggressive and not holding back. If he wasn't careful, there'd be another instance of a student getting seriously injured. The R-Rated Heroine had honestly considered calling the match, but per the school's policy in regards to combat, she ultimately decided that until she was sure her raven-headed student was beyond reason, limiting her involvement to readying her Quirk for immediate use was the most she could do.
And it wasn't like she couldn't understand where the avian teen was coming from. She'd been there, on the field, when Tokoyami and Jiro had made their relationship official. She'd seen that spark in their eyes that had signified there was something deeper than teenage infatuation between them, that theirs was not a spur of the moment thing. The sight had set her romantic heart ablaze, even as it tugged on past aches, and it was only the fact that they were in the middle of the festival that had allowed her to calm down so quickly.
But that was how she knew. Fumikage was lost in his rage, unable to pull himself out of the all-consuming fury and self-hatred he'd fallen into from watching his 'Queen' harmed beyond the limits of acceptability. It was almost like watching Shota after what had happened to Emi, all over again.
This was war.
CRRRAAAAACK! BOOM!
A large section of concrete, ripped from the ground, had just gone sailing through the air, out of another cloud of dust, and slammed into the reinforced walls of the stadium's field with astonishing force. Momo had been able to avoid the projectile, but it had been a close call. If the ravenette, and the observing public, had expected the avian teen to tire at some point during his furious rampage, they were all disheartened when reality smacked them in the face. Indeed, Tokoyami only continued to stomp after his prey like an unflinching, unnatural disaster.
STOMP! STOMP!
Poor Momo Yaoyorozu… the heiress had been caught in the middle of a war she'd been completely innocent of…
"There's nothing for it then…" Momo muttered to herself, accepting there was only one option left to her now. She couldn't hold out much longer, the entirety of the festival was catching up to her. Fatigue was turning her limbs to bricks, and her sharp mind was flagging even now. Clenching her hand into a fist, the ravenette sent a determined glare at her opponent. "This is it. It's now or never!"
With a wordless battle cry, the heiress charged. The public, around the world and there in the stadium, gasped as one at the daring action. In the announcer's booth, Aizawa and Yamada held their breath in unison. From her spot, Midnight raised an arm, ready to tear back the thin, skin-tight fabric and unleash her Quirk.
And then…
"Tokoyami-san!"
Momo screamed as she lunged forward, almost within reach of the hulking form of her beshadowed friend.
Enormous claws of the purest darkness rose up in reply, awaiting the approaching frame of the Amazonian ravenette. Crimson eyes full of pain overlaid by yellow bolts of fury glared forward, unwavering. Momo thrust out an open hand against the living onslaught—
HSSSS—BANG! FLASH!
"REEEEEEEEHAAAAAAHH!"
Two sets of shrieks tore through the air, the louder of the two sounding more animalistic than human.
A blinding light detonated into existence, filling the world with searing white. The luminance was so sudden and unexpected that even those watching from low-grade televisions far away were left with sore eyes. For those there in person, pro and civilian alike, it felt like red hot pokers had gouged out their eyes for a split second, followed by realizing their visual sense had been burned away. Midnight, in particular, suffered the worst of it, being the closest outside of the competitors, and having been staring directly at the two as they'd clashed.
In her final act of desperation, Momo had taken another page from Izuku's book. She'd managed to acquire the composition of his stun rounds before the match, knowing Dark Shadow was sensitive to strong light. Unfortunately, the formula was somewhat delicate, and required finesse to manufacture and sustain. It also turned out that the accompanying fuse and casings that Hatsume had invented for their mutual friend weren't just for show either, requiring delicate craftsmanship to create.
In the end, Momo hadn't had the time to use her Quirk for any of it. She'd had to make the call, cut corners, and ultimately directly create the volatile mixture straight from her skin rather than encapsulate it within the safety of an official stun round.
"My deepest apologies," Momo said, slightly bowing to her opponent, never taking her eyes off the singular avian teen, now bereft of shadows. The hand the heiress had created with, her left, now sported an ugly burn, thankfully not too deep, although it stung fiercely. "But I had to stop you."
With that, the ravenette moved in to grapple her stunned raven-headed friend. She had no idea how long it would take Dark Shadow to reform, so she couldn't waste a second if she wanted to capitalize on this chance and secure her advancement.
"I… Will Not…" Tokoyami wheezed, lowering his hands from where they'd instinctively risen to rub at his eyes. Forcing them open, irritated, bloodshot crimson locked on to approaching onyx. The glare was intensely intimidating. "BE STOPPED HERE!"
Without warning, the avian teen lashed out, decking Momo square in the face. The force of the blow threw the heiress back, causing her to stumble.
"There will be…" Tokoyami growled out, his black feathers standing on end as he stood up straight. The raven-headed teen loomed over the girl he'd just punched in the face, those watching cringing back from the ferocious appearance he posed. "VENGEANCE FOR MY QUEEN!"
When Momo managed to fight through the pain in her jaw and look back up at her opponent, she couldn't help but gasp in horror. Tokoyami and Dark Shadow had merged into a single being once again, a writhing existence of pain and sorrow. The notable difference this time, however, was that while the Quirk entity was covering its host as before, instead of its usual Corvidaen shape, its appearance was now more akin to agonizing tentacles of living pitch set ablaze by midnight flames arching to reach salvation only to lash out against anything and everything. If there were eyes present, they were in no way stable, in number or appearance.
There was bloodlust in those shattered spikes of yellow.
Screeching some unintelligible cry, the nightmarish Tokoyami was on the downed president of Class 1-A in the blink of an eye. Two of what could pass for arms amongst the mass of writhing shadowy tentacles rose up, ready to crush anything in their path.
From their places, Midnight and Cementoss finally managed to recover their eyesight. In less than a second, the two pros were able to call upon years of experience and understood the dire situation before them. Without needing to communicate or wait for an official order, the duo leapt into action and activated their Quirks.
Between Momo and the out of control Tokoyami arose a wall of concrete molded from the arena itself, spawned into existence so that the two could no longer see each other. Aided by a single one of Midnight's battle fans, a billowing rosette cloud of narcotic pheromones came rolling toward the competitors, inching closer—
"GGRRRRAAAAAHHHH!"
But ultimately too late…
Fumikage Tokoyami tensed, shifting his body sideways before screaming out his anguish, his pains, and all of his sorrows.
CRACK-BOOM!
As one, the raised limbs of shadow struck the ground, an unholy god sundering the mortal world. For one and a half kilometers in every direction, the earth itself shook. The air pressure alone was enough to blow Midnight's pheromone cloud back into the stands behind her, causing quite a few attendants to immediately pass out.
The concrete wall that had been raised to shield Momo crumbled like wet paper. More than that, the entire arena was cleaved in twain, one side jutting up noticeably higher than the other. The crevice lanced out in either direction, leaving a crack that wove its way all the way up into the stands on either side, splitting seats as easily as blades of grass.
And in the thick of it all, the epicenter of such destruction and woe…
Momo Yaoyorozu sat awestruck, unable to believe her eyes. Tokoyami had turned away from her at the last second, his attack completely missing her.
"O-Oi… h-how… what in the…"
Present Mic's distraught and stuttering voice echoed, both literally and figuratively, the sentiment of the general public at large. For the pro heroes watching, in person and abroad, it was the silence of the more levelheaded and pragmatic Eraserhead that was more worrisome.
In their booth, Aizawa was futilely clenching his phone. Midoriya had sent him a message at some point, and he'd just now read it…
From: Problem Child
T + J = C
Mad Todoroki's use of force
As a teacher, Aizawa knew he should be grabbing his microphone and giving his raven-headed student a stern reprimand for his actions. He knew he should be preaching that feelings and emotions, especially darker desires such as those for revenge, had no place in the path of heroism. He even knew he should've gone the extra mile and outright stated that giving in to the impulse to seek retribution against those who'd wronged their loved ones was never the right answer.
As a hero, Eraserhead knew and understood these lessons perfectly. As a man, speaking them aloud would've made him the greatest hypocrite outside of politics.
He had no right to judge others for the very same sins he himself had committed.
Back in the arena, while the vast majority of onlookers were dealing with their own shock, Tokoyami himself was no longer covered in shadow. The avian teen had a downcast look upon his face, and he refused to raise his head. The whispers of the public might've been too low for him to hear, but he knew they were judging him at that moment.
"Competitor Toko—"
Midnight broke off from her attempt at engaging the no longer rampaging student, feeling a shift in the air. Tokoyami had raised an open hand, palm up, and was looking at the R-Rated Heroine with tears in the corners of his eyes. Sighing, the ravenette understood the silent plea for a chance to speak.
"Alright…" Midnight acquiesced, slowly walking over and handing the mic over, "Here. Make it quick."
The stands seemed to take a collective breath as all present waited on the edge of their seat. What was this unholy mix of emitter and mutant going to say? Would he be declaring his superiority? Would he open a challenge to all who wished to face him? Or had he burned everything he had and was now retiring with grace?
"I apologize for my earlier behavior, but I refuse to continue this farce any longer," Fumikage spoke into the mic, a surprising amount of levelheaded clarity present for the boy who was known for his theatrics. Those who knew him couldn't decide if the raven-headed teen lacked the energy to keep up his normal façade or genuinely believed he'd be misunderstood if he didn't speak plainly. "I have tried, and failed, to keep my emotions in check. My heart aches for retribution for the one I love, but in seeking it I allowed dark thoughts to cloud my judgment... and almost committed an unforgivable act…"
A sense of relief flooded through the stadium, and to a degree, through the homes and bars and other establishments where eager viewers had waited with their hearts in their throats waiting to hear from the teen with such powerful abilities. As a whole, civilians took the admission as a dark Quirk-user recognizing how dangerous he was and willfully allowing a more controlled and deserving competitor continue, as was proper. In contrast, pro heroes with any real experience and merit understood that this teenager had managed to claw himself back from the edge, just in time, and had made the hard call to remove himself from a volatile situation before an accident could occur.
"I hereby retire from this competition. I acknowledge my limits, and cannot guarantee my self-restraint at this time…" Fumikage continued, unknowingly—and uncaringly—earning points with the watching public. "If I were to continue… to eventually face off against my classmate Todoroki-san… it pains me to say I suspect I would do everything in my power to exact my revenge on him for what he did to my beloved. And I cannot in good conscience allow that to happen. Thank you."
After stiffly bowing to the nearest camera drone, Fumikage returned the mic to a wide-eyed, but proud, Midnight and gave an about-face. Keeping a steady pace and his head held high, the avian teen left the arena, not as a beast ruled by emotion, but as a man.
And as soon as he cleared the exit tunnel and disappeared from view, Fumikage wasted no time in running full tilt to the infirmary. His beloved was still bedridden, and he would be there for her. Always.
"Well then…" Midnight trailed off, hesitating as she realized her normal persona wouldn't fit too well in this situation. Deciding on just being normal for once, the shapely 18+ Only Heroine forced a smile on her face and pushed on. "Yaoyorozu wins by forfeit!"
Momo sighed as a wave of cheering and adulation rippled through the air. That hadn't been how she'd wanted to win the match, and now the heiress felt undeserving of moving on to the next round. On top of that, the prospect of facing off against Todoroki held an even heavier weight now that she'd had experience fighting against a real powerhouse. What was she going to do now?
"ALRIGHT FOLKS! YOU'VE WAITED THIS LONG… BUT NOW IT'S THE FINAL MATCH OF THE SECOND ROUND! WHILE WE REPAIR THE ARENA, YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES TO GO GRAB YOURSELVES A SNACK OR DO WHATEVER ELSE YOU NEED TO. SO GET GOING! YEAH!"
As Momo left the field, a worried look on her statuesque face, Cementoss took her place and got to work repairing the damage left by the students… again. Honestly, the blocky pro couldn't help but wonder just how Aizawa managed to keep those little monsters of his under control!
UA's Sports Festival Stadium, Class 1-A Seating Box…
"I'm glad he managed to snap out of it…" Izuku sighed in relief, almost slumping in his seat, "He could've really hurt Momo-san there at the end."
Even as Tsuyu croaked in agreement, and the zombie girls nodded along as well, the rest of Class 1-A present found themselves… worried. They'd always known Todoroki was insanely powerful, but now they'd discovered that their raven-headed classmate was strong enough to almost split a stadium in half?! He might not have been as powerful as All Might, but he was still a beast!
At that moment, certain less-than-stellar students from the Heroics Course felt the sudden urge to give an apology gift to the newly discovered powerhouse that was Tokoyami.
"I should get going now, kero," Tsuyu declared after a moment of silence. When the frog-girl tried to stand up, however, she found that her boyfriend had slipped his arms around her, and refused to release her from his hugging embrace.
A single glance was all it took for the amphibious teen to tell that her emerald necromancer was filled with worry for her.
"Kero?" Tsuyu croaked, raising an expectant brow at the display. Now was not the time or place for her boyfriend to play the overprotective card.
Instead of being released, the hug only became fiercer.
"I'll be alright, kero," Tsuyu stated, trying to balance sternness with assurance. "Everything will be fine Izu-kun."
Izuku buried his face into the cool dip between his girlfriend's neck and shoulder, drawing as much comfort as he could for as long as he could. He really didn't want to let her go.
"I know, but…" The verdanette knew Tsuyu was strong, far stronger than she looked. There was no doubt in his mind she was even stronger than many could ever hope to believe her to be, as biased as they were. Still… "I just—"
A thousand fears swirled through Izuku's mind.
What if Endeavor had ordered Todoroki to use this chance to get rid of their family's competition?
What if Todoroki decided to ignore the consequences and take revenge for how they'd spoken down to him before, when he'd tried to explain himself to them?
What if what happened to Kyouka happened again, where the consequences this time would be far more severe?
What if—
SMOOCH!
A sudden kiss, right on the lips, snapped Izuku back to reality, allowing him to regain his focus.
"I'll be fine," Tsuyu repeated, staring deeply into the worried emeralds of her love. "Believe in me, kero."
Still reluctant, Izuku had no choice but to put his faith in his girlfriend and let her go. Hopping up, Tsuyu looked around and noticed even the zombie girls were looking at her with concern. Having once experienced the link she knew her boyfriend's Quirk created for herself, the amphibious teen knew the verdanette's emotions were bleeding into the trio.
Fifteen minutes later, UA's Sports Festival Stadium, Contestant Arena…
"IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN FOLKS! ARE YOU READY FOR THE FINAL MATCH OF THE SECOND ROUND OF THE FIRST YEAR TOURNAMENT?! LET ME HEAR YOU SAY YYEEEEAAAAAHH!"
After an enthusiastic response, the stadium's crowded stands began to vibrate with cheer and raucously applaud. Many couldn't help but wonder just what would happen in this match. So far the battles between the first years of UA had run the gamut, from impressive to lackluster to truly awe-inspiring. Would the Son of Endeavor bring his might to bear once more? Would he choose to wield his rarely seen flames this time? Perhaps they'd see another bout of martial prowess, only this time the born prodigy would show the lowly mutant the difference between facing a pedigree instead of a no-name hick.
"FROM THE SOUTHWEST GATE, THE SON OF ENDEAVOR RETURNS TO THE FIELD! BUT DON'T GET YOUR HOPES OF FOLKS, USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE IS STILL PROHIBITED AT THIS INSTITUTION, AND THE RULES DO APPLY TO EVERYONE! HOW WILL THE ICY PRINCE OF THE FLAME HERO HIMSELF DEAL WITH HIS OPPONENT THIS TIME AFTER RECEIVING A WARNING?!"
It was a well-known fact that, after an infamous sting operation involving a notoriously promiscuous villainess, whose Mantis Quirk drove her to prey on both heroes and villains to ensnare into her bed, Present Mic had developed a rather passionate dislike of mutant Quirks. Due to the nature of the villain's Quirk being labeled 'dark' as well, such a designation also found its way into the Voice Hero's bias after a time. Even so, as a professional in both heroics and the scholastic field, the loud blond did try his best to fair, even though he knew he probably failed just as often as he succeeded.
And in this case, Asui's nature had no bearing on how Present Mic dictated the last match of the second round. Todoroki had broken a cardinal rule of UA, and deserved the punishment he'd received, if not more so. The heterochromatic was lucky the Board had gotten involved, or the Voice Hero knew the son of the Number Two Hero would've been disqualified for his action.
Stepping up onto the raised arena platform, Shoto Todoroki's normally blank visage was marred by a tinge of worried nerves.
The dual-colored teen had spent more than an hour writing out the oath provided and then signing it. He'd been recorded reciting it, and had then endured an extra lecture on safety in regards to Quirk usage in heroics. Even hating such speeches as he did, he'd had known better than to say anything and had just listened with undivided attention. Afterward, he'd accepted a final word of caution, even as he'd swallowed the bile he'd felt creeping up this throat at having his mother's Quirk compared to the Bastards.
Todoroki did all of that, accepted all of it, because all he wanted… no, needed… all he needed was to face and defeat Midoriya.
The Monster of UA had been assured victory against that religious fool. The inevitability had been obvious. How could one hope for plants to stand against the strength of living death? Such power was too dangerous to ever be faced in a contest of physical strength; in fact all forms of melee were a no-go against him. Therefore, the metal copy of his red-haired classmate? He doubted the boy would even slow Midoriya down.
No. He'd meet his rival in the final round. There was no other possible outcome.
But for now, he'd need to overcome a seemingly impossible challenge… defeat an amphibious opponent without heavily damaging them. For once, his mother's ice wasn't going to help him, and that fact burned.
"AND FROM THE NORTHEAST GATE, HERE COMES HIS OPPONENT! IT'S THE GIRL WHO FEARS NOTHING AND WILL GIVE YOU A SERIOUS TONGUE LASHING TOO! IT'S TSUYU ASUI!"
As her introduction echoed through the stadium, Tsuyu ran-hopped from the entry tunnel to the arena platform. Whereas last time there'd been derisive giggles and snide comments on the frog-girl's preferred method of mobility, now there were only anticipatory whispers. How would a girl with a mere animal mutation Quirk like 'Frog' measure up to the overwhelming power of the legacy of the Number Two Hero? What could she even hope to accomplish?
Meanwhile, others who recognized the two family names of the competitors and their far-from-peaceful history, asked themselves if the current match had somehow been decided on behind the scenes.
"LET'S HOPE SHE'S COME WITH A PLAN, AM I RIGHT?!"
Midnight allowed her eyes to roll at that one. This was not the time for that blond idiot to throw around dumb jokes. The tensest match of the day—so far—was about to take place, and she needed to focus and do her job so that there were no tragedies today.
It was bad enough that the school's legal situation had deteriorated to such a point already with what had happened to the Jiro girl. They were sure to get a mark on their record for failing to provide for the safety of all of their students, even with the leeway all hero schools were given. It was beyond fortunate that UA had not only Recovery Girl but also Midoriya currently in residence. If the young necromancer hadn't been present, or such a good friend to the girl, her recovery might not have been so instantaneous… or complete.
That, of course, didn't change the fact that if Todoroki went all out in this match, even Midoriya's Quirk might not be enough.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, let's get started!" Midnight called out, drawing once again on her experience as a pro to keep her increasing worry under control. "We're—"
Tsuyu Asui, as stoic as always, raised her hand.
Midnight stopped, blinking a few times before the sight and what it meant registered with her. Hiding a relieved sigh by stepping down from her podium, the R-Rated Heroine approached the frog girl and handed her the mic, much to the confusion of her heterochromatic opponent.
The eldest daughter of the Asui family stared at the youngest son of the Todoroki family flatly. She raised the mic, and the dual-colored teen felt his stomach drop.
"I refuse to fight against Shoto Todoroki at this time," Tsuyu announced. The words spoke of forfeiture, but the frog girl's tone hardly fit peoples' expectations. "Furthermore, I refuse to work alongside him from this point forward as well."
Grimacing at the additional declaration, Midnight knew interfering now would only make things worse. The R-Rated Heroine knew she could always try to foster understanding between the two scions in the future, but for now the bad blood seemed to be too new to be worked through. It wasn't necessarily the best situation for the two to be in, and hardly an acceptable one for heroes-in-training to partake in, but it was understandable if one were to see it from the perspective of an emotional teenager.
Tsuyu was far from finished speaking. Hardly taking a breath, she continued.
"My classmate has shown multiple times that he has no qualms with the use of excessive force, bordering on lethal in one instance so far, against fellow classmates." Even with the words being true, there were those in the audience present and abroad that scoffed at the frog girl's statements. What did she expect in the world of Heroics, where you needed to be strong to survive? "If that is what he deems as acceptable treatment for those he is meant to work with, then I cannot in good faith place my life in his hands. And yes, that means even here, in a glorified sparring match."
Todoroki felt as if he'd swallowed a lump of burning coal while being kicked in the balls with a red hot iron. Those words. He'd heard them, or a form of them, before. That carefully crafted refusal was one of the official ways other pro heroes had denied supporting the Bastard when the Hero Commission had requested they aid the Flame Hero. To have them being thrown at him now…
"This issue has also been exacerbated by the lack of the proctors' capabilities in stopping my classmate," Tsuyu said, steadily carrying on without stutter or flinch. The same could not be said for Midnight and Cementoss, who winced at the truth of the words thrown in their faces. As pro heroes, it shouldn't have mattered how powerful their students were, none of their lives should've been put in danger as long as they were present. "If they couldn't act quickly enough to save my friend from him, I cannot trust they'd be any faster to save myself if the situation were to repeat itself here now."
Scoffs had turned to murmurings and sneers from the audience. How presumptuous of a first-year, to call out pro heroes as if she knew anything! There were many who were just about ready to call on UA to censor the frog-girl that very moment, but before they could, said teenager had even more to say.
"My participation in this festival is over. However, before stepping down, I would like to say just one more thing, if I may?" Tsuyu threw a glance at Midnight, the ravenette merely shrugging. As hurt as she was by the harsh words spoken, the R-Rated heroine knew they were truthful, and she accepted them as such. She was mature enough to know even as a pro she could still make mistakes and learn from them. "Izuku Midoriya. My answer is yes! I will MARRY YOU!"
Midnight, along with an untold number of students, faculty, civilians, and pro heroes alike all froze in place at the sudden declaration. Barely registering the return of her mic, the 18+ Only Heroine could only blink as reality far exceeded her expectations for once. Oh, she was so going to demand Power Loader give her a copy of the First Year Tournament now. She had to re-watch the whole thing now!
Right as Asui turned to leave, rosy-cheeked with a loving smile causing her normally apathetic face to glow, Midnight caught movement from the corner of her eye. Shoto Todoroki had taken a step forward.
And the dual-colored teen did not look happy. At all.
"Asui!"
Shock. Anger. Despair. Todoroki's shout was full of a potent mix of emotions.
This wasn't how it was meant to go. His path to redemption was supposed to start here, where he'd earn back the principal's trust along with another victory. He'd planned the entire scenario in his head down to the last detail. If he couldn't use his mother's Quirk, then it'd be a full-on martial arts bout. He knew he was up for the challenge, and would be able to show he could subdue opponents with the barest minimum of power.
But he was going to be denied even that?!
Did she really hate him that much?
What had he done to deserve this?
He needed to stop her, convince her to keep fighting. If he could just have a chance, he knew he could control himself and not be a danger!
Midnight stepped between the two members of Class 1-A, her sky blue eyes frigid as she locked gazes the apparent threat. The cold glare was paralyzing, and the heterochromatic found he couldn't move a muscle. For the entire length of time it took for Asui to run-hop her way from the arena platform back down to the nearest exit tunnel, the staredown continued.
The audience's response was mixed at best. There was booing and jeering, along with calls of disappointment at the lack of action. There were sighs of relief, as concerned parties afraid that the amphibian girl would suffer the same fate as Todoroki's first opponent found they could breathe easier. There were even a few smattering instances of applause, pros and civilians alike cheering for the courage of the frog-girl for speaking her mind and accepting her limitations.
UA's Sports Festival Stadium, Class 1-A Seating Box…
At the supposed start of the match, Izuku had stood from his seat and gone to the railing, at the bottom of Class 1-A's section, to lean against it. The verdanette had quickly ended up gripping the metalwork with both hands just to keep his emotions in check. No matter how he felt about it, he'd been ready to put his faith in his girlfriend, in her skills, and her intellect.
"Thank goodness…" Izuku breathed, hardly able to speak. Absently, the relieved necromancer released the metal railing he'd been gripping the entire time Tsuyu had been on the arena platform. "Who knows what would've happened if he'd been allowed to reach her…"
Of course, Izuku had been able to see the heterochromatic teen step forward. His blood had instantly caught fire, his muscles tensing to the extreme, and he'd even felt his eyes begin to burn. Then Midnight had stepped in, and Tsu-chan had been able to walk away unmolested.
"You okay Boss?" Saki asked, glancing at the section of railing the verdanette had been gripping. "Need some fresh air? A drink?"
The railing was warped. Twin sets of five gouges had bent and twisted the metal under what looked like extreme tension and stress.
"Hell, what about a blow—"
"Lily thinks that hugs and kisses would do wonders for Izu-nii!" Lily chirped, always ready to brighten the mood… and interrupt her older sister's lechery. "Tsu-nee would surely appreciate hugs and kisses too!"
"Yeah…" Izuku trailed off, thoughts of hugs and kisses filling his head. That actually sounded like a wonderful idea. "You know what? Why don't—"
WHAM!
"GUUUAAH!"
Tae slamming a forearm onto the railing, bending the metal around the limb like putty, earned the attention of the remaining members of Class 1-A still present. The groan of frustration caused Izuku to chuckle.
"Yeah Tae-chan, I hear you," the verdanette nodded, grinning faintly. "He does deserve a… wake up call… but we have to get to him first. So until then, let's go."
As Izuku and his zombie girls departed, Tae paused for a single moment, just long enough to eye the railing her master had gripped so tightly one last time. Seeing the evidence now erased under her own strike, the tall undead ravenette turned away and followed her family as they left. That imbecile Endeavor was already after her beloved Izuku with only as much as he'd shown so far… the fool didn't need any further evidence of just how her master was growing.
A little further away, a certain cat-boy decided that what he'd just witnessed was definitely not a clear case of intelligence. There was already far too much shit on his plate to add more conspiracy theories to the mix. And honestly, he'd already given up three lives for this, he wasn't interested in losing any more!
UA's Sports Festival Stadium, Recovery Girl's Temporary Nurse's Office…
The sizable room, specifically designed to serve UA's medical purposes for those off of the main campus due to the events in the stadium, was equipped with multiple large screen displays tuned in to the broadcast of the festival going on just outside. This allowed those inside, patients, friends, and Recovery Girl herself, to stay in the loop. It wouldn't do for any of them to miss a single moment of such an event.
Kyouka, still laying in her assigned bed, sighed with no small amount of relief. Tsu-chan had avoided the fight.
Even better, Izuku wouldn't go into a bloody rampage because she got hurt…
Yet.
It was unavoidable at this point, but Todoroki had proven to be a real danger, and needed to be taken to task for his actions. Her parents had already been called, and after calming her old man down, she'd been able to assure them of her good health. Of course, she'd also been sure to report what her condition had been in when she'd arrived in the temporary nurse's office as well, and that her current state was a direct result of her good friend's direct intervention.
Dull maroon eyes flicked from the rapidly changing displays to cherry red fingertips. Kyouka suppressed a giggle, she could still feel Izuku's Quirk in her extremities, making her fingers and toes tingle.
At first, her parents had been… skeptical of Izuku. They'd understood his good intentions, but what good parents wouldn't have been given the creeps if they'd been told their daughter had been given a strange boy's blood to be healed? Kyouka certainly didn't blame them for their initial reactions. Although, she thought their quick acceptance of Recovery Girl's petition for blood samples and other tests, along with a period of observation, was a little much.
They meant well, and she loved them, but geez. It's not like she ended up like her two neighbors who were also consigned to the temporary infirmary.
Looking over, Kyouka sighed at the sight of the overly excitable pink ball of acidic joy that was Mina. The horned girl was still currently passed out in her bed. A potent mix of pain, exhaustion, painkillers, and a visit from Recovery Girl had put her to sleep quite thoroughly. It was honestly the stillest the punk rocker could ever remember seeing her.
Beside the pinkette, also abnormally still and quiet, was Kirishima. The redhead was just sitting there, gazing at Mina like she was the world. Kyouka didn't think he even knew she and the other bed occupant were even there.
That led the punk rocker to look over at Shiozaki, the religious zealot if she'd ever seen one. The Class 1-B member was completely out of it, but even so her face was still contorted in some sort of pain. Kyouka guessed that the image of Izuku glaring down at her angrily was giving her nightmares. On top of her restless sleep, the pious girl was also going to have to deal with the mess that was her vine-hair, as all of the strands that withered during the match were still either gone or only reached to just below her chin now.
But if you asked her, it served the nutjob right for being so pushy with her religious nonsense.
As for Kyouka herself…
"Oh come one!" The punk rocker fake moaned, fidgeting slightly, "I'm not in danger anymore! Cut it out."
On one side, completely ignoring her entirely empty pleas, Fumikage was hugging her, nuzzling his feathered head and cool beak against her cheek and neck. On her other side, also ignoring her false pleas, was Dark Shadow, doing the exact same thing. It was like being smothered by two overprotective boyfriends at the same time.
She fucking loved it!
"I've told you already, I'm not a delicate flower!" Kyouka mumbled, trying and failing to sound annoyed. It was hard to do so when one was smiling after all. "You two are such animals…"
Goddamn did it feel good to be so loved and not have to worry a single fuck about her looks.
Magnus: I know you're excited for the next couple of fights, but please remember that Blessed With a Hero's Heart is next.
Omake – Bloody Insight
Izuku was having a rather difficult day, made more so thanks to meddling assholes all around.
First, there was the Sports Festival itself. The internationally known event alone was cause for some students to tie themselves into knots, especially those that liked to overthink everything. Regardless of nervous disposition though, it was a lot to handle for any first-year student at UA who'd only had a little less than two months to train and prepare.
Then there had been his discovery of the shit that went on behind the scenes. Learning that the Board and certain sponsors were literally gunning for his removal, one way or another, had made the whole thing nothing but a headache and a nightmare. Nothing said welcome to the rest of your life like a bunch of rich, bigoted fucks sticking their fingers where they don't belong and trying to ruin your day.
Everything had been sorting itself out fine though, until Todoroki began to… overreact. Izuku was honestly still having trouble understanding where the heterochromatic's sudden rivalry with him had come from. What had possessed the powerhouse of their class to see him, a 'dark' mutant nobody, as a mile-marker that needed to be beaten?
And then the Tournament happened.
To be completely straight with himself, Izuku knew the only reason he'd agreed to continue participating was so that he could prove everyone wrong. It wasn't very Heroic, but dammit, he'd had enough of everyone thinking they could have a say in what he was going to be. Yes, he might've been a mutant, and he might've had a creepy 'dark' Quirk, but he was going to be a Hero. And his first step was going to be here, on a worldwide stage, proving he could face battle and adversity head-on and not be dead weight.
If he hadn't achieved his goal by now, he didn't know how he could. Beating Shinso was one thing, a good start sure, but what had just happened against Shiozaki was another matter altogether.
As he walked out from his waiting room and began the trek back to the seating area for 1-A, Izuku raised his hand up for examination. Not for the first time, the verdanette wished he could look beneath the skin and directly see his Quirked blood.
"What the hell happened back there?" Izuku asked at a whisper, knowing no one was around but it never hurt to be careful. He had his own theories of course, but he was still confused. "How did I manage to do that?"
Sudden strength augmentation and increased speed… the two singularities kept his head spinning. The vines withering he'd been able to understand; Shiozaki had squeezed too hard, and in her angered state the thorns sprouted from her hair had pricked him and drawn blood. That, of course, had doomed her flora-based Quirk… after all, he'd never said 'Cursed Blood' was picky about where it got its nutrients. From there it had only been a matter of other unlucky vines brushing up against places where his blood was still smeared across his skin.
"I dunno Boss," Saki replied, looking far too relaxed, walking with her hands behind her head, for someone whose neck had been snapped only an hour ago. "But you looked beyond fucking badass!"
"Lily is just happy that Izu-nii won without getting too hurt," Lily cheered, although the littlest zombie was quick to fall back into her worrying. "Everyone is getting too angry and violent today. That fiery bad man and Mr. Candy Cane especially…"
The bluenette's concern was not ill-founded, and was sound enough for Izuku to pause for a moment. Both Todoroki men were becoming a problem. One wanted to beat him, and the other wanted him to—
"Don't worry about it Lily-chan," Izuku eventually replied, giving the youngest of his partners a loving head pat. "Everything will be alright. I just need to understand this new facet of my Quirk, and we'll be all good."
Desire?
Instantly, Izuku snapped his head around, searching for a reflective surface. The closest thing he could find was a billboard along the wall that was advertising… was that Aizawa-sensei's melatonin brand?
Your. Desire?
Whatever.
Thankfully, the blown-up image of the bottled sleep hormone came with a large swath that was black ink, allowing Izuku to faintly see his own reflection.
Or rather, the red-eyed image that was a clear indication of what was attempting to speak to him. And if it was asking him if he wanted to know what was going on, then he only had one answer.
"Yes," Izuku replied, continuing to speak softly to try and mask what he was doing.
Silently, Tae, Lily, and Saki split up and encircled their master, each facing a different direction facing outward to keep an eye on the hallways. If asked, each could only say it was almost like a feeling in their bones that told them they needed to do so, for the sake of Izuku.
Replication. Amplification. Muscles. Ligaments. Tendons.
"You're saying you increased the amount of muscle fibers and connective tissues I have and…" Izuku's mind whirred as it did its best to fill in the gaps. His Quirk may have been powerful, but it seemed to still somewhat lack in the communications department. "You made them better? Stronger?"
The reflection nodded.
"How does that even work?" Izuku asked. He really wanted, needed to know, to understand what was happening inside himself. He had his theories and he had to know if they held true or not.
Desire. Need. Give. Provide.
Izuku deadpanned at his red-eyed reflection. That non-answer was either given on purpose, or worse was an answer without context. Just the same it still left him with more questions than answers.
"Uunngwaaah…"
Tae's groan snapped Izuku out of his self-contained world, and the verdanette was forced to acknowledge he was out of time.
"Right," Izuku conceded, looking away from the ghostly personification of his Quirk. "We need to go. Fumikage's match is about to start. And I… really, really need Tsu-chan right about now."
With that, the boy with the Cursed Blood left to go and reunite with his beloved. As he walked away from his possessed reflection, he made a mental note to corner his Quirk sometime in the future and have it actually explain how things between them worked.
For real.
Omake – Bloody Kindred – For Nathan Hurley
In the growing shadows of twilight, Stain, the current boogeyman of Japan's heroes and back alleys alike, glared down from his perch as he slowly did a once over of all of his armaments.
'Every day. Day after day, after day, after day… You go around preaching the sacred ideal of heroism, yet you don't even know what it truly means…'
For this man, long since labeled a villain by society, his work was nothing short of a purge. The world required a culling; the fakes and the false gods that the sheep so willingly worshipped to needed to be stripped away, leaving only true examples of heroism to remain. It would only be then that the True Heroes could retake the world from the clutches of nepotism and fabricated ideals and norms.
'This world is diseased. It doesn't need more fake heroes, glory hounds more interested in baying for riches and power than serving the greater good.'
This path he treaded was not one he'd taken lightly. It had been his last resort, his only option after years of doing things 'the right way.' Once, he'd done his best to organize pacifistic protests, garner the goodwill of the public, and make a difference through legal means.
When that had failed him, he'd turned to a more hands-on approach. If his words wouldn't change the minds of the people, maybe his actions would? So he'd set out to show the world how a True Hero should deal with dangerous criminals, corrupt politicians, deranged villians…
When they'd caught him, he'd been incarcerated with barely a trial. They'd tossed him away into a pit filled with those he'd had a hand in locking away himself.
Stain suppressed a shudder at the ghostly fingertips of nightmares and memories. He still carried those scars, his proof that the world would refuse to change without blood, sweat, and tears.
'This world needs True Heroes again. It needs those who won't be afraid to do what it takes to really save the day, to really make things better, to be both the sword and the shield! The sum of their actions cannot equal zero!'
Stain was sick and tired of existing in a reality that accepted the sorry state of the current 'Hero Society.' The once virtuous calling, the sacred vocation, had been degraded and twisted into a mere profession. At the end of the day, the fakes were nothing more than security contractors who may or may not assist the common people on a whim.
They had turned something noble into a business.
'The world needs more True Heroes, like All Might. And… him.'
At the simple reminder that there may be another on par with the purity of the Symbol of Peace, Stain's mind flashed back to the memory of the day he'd seen the broadcast. The fools and cowards had been quick to label him a monster, an undying creature that knew no bounds or sanctities. To the masses, the sheep, the survival of the divine and thrice-blessed Final Judge in the face of an assassination attempt had been relegated to a mere coincidence. As if that saintly woman had just been at the right place at the right time.
But he knew differently. He knew the Truth. The green child was a True Hero. The Necromancer, or the Lich, whichever some idiotic fool had begun to call him, had clearly been unaware of the extent of his survival capabilities when he'd been shot. To Stain, that meant the boy had first thought of the survival of the innocent, in protecting the people, before his own safety.
As a True Hero should.
Rescuing came first. Then fighting for what was right. If glory followed, so be it.
And the violence demonstrated by the boy's undead pet?
In Stain's opinion, nothing was too extreme when it came to True Heroism. If it took ripping off an arm to keep a criminal from taking an innocent life, then that's what it took. That woman with the gun had had clear intentions of killing anyone she needed to in order to save herself. Her punishment was richly deserved.
Just like so many others…
Down below, Stain caught fleeting movement out of the corner of his wide eyes. To those who didn't know him, it would've appeared as if an urban knight, in upgraded armor, were running full tilt through the alleyways.
But Stain did know this one. His charity runs weren't a bad start, and he'd done quite a bit to erode away the remaining homeless populations in the ghetto areas. However, that couldn't excuse the fact that he also hogged the media by promoting his 'good' deeds, ran what could be called a sweatshop of 'Sidekicks' to bloat his success rate, and arranged for captures to occur in certain ways so that conveniently placed media types could be there for the perfect photogenic angles.
'It makes no difference now. Time to see if you're more than just a fake and pretender… 'hero.'
Wrapping his conviction about himself like a cloak, Stain readied himself for what was to come. With cat-like agility, and nary a sound, the Hero Killer began to move.
