_____[POV: Third person]_____
Nana Shimura observed the Sports Festival arena through the VIP room window, her arms crossed and her expression serene yet attentive. Beside her, Toshinori was visibly excited, following every detail of the competition.
"He's been doing well so far," Toshinori commented, a small smile appearing on his face. "His performance in the race and the cavalry battle was impressive. The tournament will undoubtedly be something to watch."
Nana smiled, nodding slightly.
"He really is interesting," she said, her eyes momentarily gleaming with a mix of admiration and curiosity. After all, it was Ryuji who had healed her and brought her back from a state many would consider impossible. But then, her expression grew more serious, her mind wandering to a distant past.
The city was in ruins. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and destruction. The battle against All For One had been a true nightmare.
Nana felt her body throbbing, every muscle screaming in pain. Gran Torino was panting beside her, his uniform torn and dirty, but his eyes were determined. Her comrade, an old friend, was further ahead, facing the villain with calm and seriousness. They had saved as many as they could, evacuated as many civilians as possible, but now they faced the real challenge: taking down All For One.
He stood there, imposing, with a sadistic smile visible in every word.
"Nana Shimura," he murmured, his deep voice resonating across the destroyed battlefield. "Do you really think you can defeat me? Do you know how many times others have tried before you? How many have failed? Will you try and fail like them too?"
She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, ignoring the searing pain in her abdomen.
"As many times as it takes!" she replied, clenching her fists, the energy of One For All crackling around her body. "Because heroes don't fight just for themselves. We fight for everyone!"
She charged forward, the air around her trembling with her speed. Every exchanged blow was a storm of force and impact. Gran Torino attacked from the flanks, agile as ever, while her comrade found openings to intervene. But All For One was a monster. He seemed to predict their every move, his strength was overwhelming.
Then came the blow. A single brutal attack that hit her squarely in the torso.
The pain was immediate and suffocating. Her body was thrown back, her vision blurring. She heard Gran Torino shout her name before she saw him furiously charging at All For One. But what came next was a sensation of being pulled, carried. Her friend, despite his own injuries, held her firmly as he ran. He took her to Recovery Girl, gently laying her on the ground, his breathing heavy but his gaze unwavering.
She tried to keep her eyes open, but the darkness pulled her in.
"One day… you will meet the Golden Boy," he murmured, his tone full of certainty. "When the time comes… look for me."
Darkness took over.
Back in reality, Nana brought her hand to her chin, thoughtful. The Golden Boy… She remembered the moment she opened her eyes for the first time after years in a coma. And he was there. Ryuji, shining in gold, with his blond hair and intense blue eyes.
It couldn't be a coincidence.
She would have to see her old friend again. Because if there was someone who always seemed to know things before everyone else, it was him.
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The U.A. Sports Festival monopolized the city's attention. Heroes, police officers, and ordinary citizens were all focused on that event, ensuring that no new invasion would occur.
But while the spotlight was on the arena, in the shadows, a battle of catastrophic proportions was unfolding.
An explosion echoed, shaking the empty buildings. Shattered glass flew through the streets as a figure shot out of the wreckage at high speed, their silhouette torn by smoke and the reddish glow of wounds still regenerating.
Moldav.
His clothes were tattered, his body covered in cuts that were rapidly closing as the black wheel above his head spun incessantly. He breathed heavily, his eyes burning with a mix of irritation and caution.
Right behind him, emerging from the ashes like a herald of destruction, Lucifer appeared. His golden wings beat with a deafening roar, dispersing the smoke around him. His gaze was calm, calculating, but carried an intensity that made Moldav break into a cold sweat.
Before he could react, Lucifer made a quick motion with his hand, as if slicing through the air itself.
*SFX: SCHLING!*
Moldav's body was torn apart by multiple cuts, his already destroyed clothes being shredded even further. But his body didn't give in. He just gave a crooked smile, cracking his neck.
"I don't know what you know, but this isn't the first time I've faced some guys with this ability... I've already adapted to this shit."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Interesting…"
Before Lucifer could move, Moldav charged forward. His body propelled through the air like a projectile, his muscles tensing for a spinning kick.
Lucifer raised his arm indifferently, blocking the blow.
*SFX: BAM!*
The shockwave that followed caused the windows of nearby buildings to explode.
Moldav gritted his teeth, focusing his energy before activating his heat vision. His eyes glowed with an intense scarlet hue before firing destructive beams directly at Lucifer.
But in a fluid motion, Lucifer grabbed Moldav's leg and, with an elegant spin, threw him away. However, his stray attack wasn't in vain.
The heat beams struck several buildings below, slicing through them like blades and causing mass destruction. The structures began to collapse, debris raining down on the deserted streets.
Lucifer observed the chaos with a bored sigh.
Lucifer watched the scene with boredom, running his fingers through his hair.
"Hah…" He sighed. "The RF will have a lot of community service to clean up this mess."
He paused, adjusting his suit collar.
"Who knows, maybe we'll gain some reputation by helping the affected."
But before he could continue his thought, a shadow formed above his head. A gigantic, glowing green anvil was plummeting toward him.
*SFX: BOOOOM!*
The impact shook the entire block, cracks spreading across the ground as dust rose like a suffocating fog.
Moldav landed softly on the ground, his sharp eyes observing the scene. He raised his hand, and an emerald glow emanated from a ring on his finger.
The Green Lantern ring.
"I've always wanted to test this."
But then…
*SFX: CRACK*
The cracks in the anvil widened before it shattered into a rain of green light.
And from within it, unharmed, emerged Lucifer.
He adjusted his suit with disdain, brushing the dust off his shoulders.
"Tsk… Filthy rat, you've dirtied me."
But then, his body was engulfed in black flames.
Next came the rocks.
As if the earth itself had responded to a command, debris began to gather around him, forming a colossal sphere in the sky. Buildings, poles, asphalt—everything was ripped from its foundations and compressed into a gigantic mass of destruction.
The black sphere pulsed with black flames, spinning in a chaotic whirl above the city.
Moldav, still standing on the ground, his eyes replaced by a Mangekyō Sharingan and a Rinnegan. He was analyzing the colossal formation with focus.
He sighed.
"It's over." He murmured. "No one has survived this shit so far."
But then…
The cracks in the sphere began to glow.
An intense golden light began to replace the black flames.
Then, in a blinding flash, the sphere exploded.
And from the flames rose a titanic phoenix of golden fire.
Moldav froze.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
The phoenix spread its wings and dove straight at him, colliding with the ground. The impact generated a wave of flames that spread like a tsunami of fire, engulfing entire streets in seconds.
Moldav screamed as he was swallowed by the fire. His body burned, but his accelerated adaptation made his wheel spin, regenerating him rapidly.
And then, Lucifer emerged from the flames.
He lifted Moldav by the neck, his hand slowly tightening as the man's body burned incessantly. The wheel on his head spun non-stop, regenerating him as he adapted to the flames, but… he couldn't break free.
Lucifer narrowed his eyes, his voice cold.
"You…"
He tightened his grip on Moldav's neck, lifting him even higher.
"… ruined my favorite suit."
The fire around them roared louder, and Moldav felt his regeneration momentarily fail as the concrete melted beneath Lucifer's feet.
"I could kill a rat like you right now… But first, I have questions that need answering..."
He tilted his head slightly, his voice taking on an almost friendly tone, but filled with pure threat.
"How the hell did you infiltrate Japan without my information network noticing?"
Moldav barely had time to react before an absurd heat struck him. He felt his flesh disintegrating faster than he could regenerate it. His mind began to panic, his senses screaming in alarm.
He did the only thing he could think of at that moment.
He raised his middle finger and whispered hoarsely:
"Go… fuck… yourself…"
Lucifer sighed.
"As you wish."
And then, the intensity of the flames increased.
Moldav's body burned instantly. His skin, muscles, and even bones evaporated in seconds. All that remained was a clump of ash, sustained by the absurd force of regeneration. But he was sinking. The adaptation couldn't keep up.
If this continued for a few more seconds, it would be the end.
But before the worst could happen—
*SFX: BOOOM!*
An invisible force brutally collided with Lucifer, launching him away like a projectile through several buildings.
The impact caused a chain reaction. Buildings collapsed, vehicles flew through the air, and the already fragile debris from the previous fight was pulverized by the shockwave.
On the charred ground, Moldav fell to his knees, gasping. His body began to rebuild itself from the ashes, but his clothes had been completely consumed.
He groaned in pain, feeling his flesh grow back. Then, he looked to the side, exhausted.
Kela was there.
Her crimson eyes glowed with a sickly hue, a sinister smile curling her lips. Her red hair was slightly disheveled, and her posture was lazy but filled with pure menace.
Moldav opened his mouth to thank her, but before he could—
BANG!
His body was thrown backward, his chest caved in by another invisible shockwave. He collided with a ruined building, cracks spreading through the structure as he coughed up blood.
"What the fuck was that?!" Moldav snarled.
Kela rolled her eyes.
"The bastard ran off without saying a word… and still thinks I'm doing charity?"
Moldav, groaning in pain, raised a greenish protective bubble, created by the Green Lantern ring. The shield blocked Kela's second strike, causing the impact to reverberate through the barrier.
The protection dissolved shortly after, but it was enough for him to recover. His ring created a new suit, and he finally managed to breathe properly.
"…Don't stress me out, you fanatic. I already have someone stressing me out, and that one's a tough one."
Kela smirked.
She approached, stopping beside Moldav. Her eyes glowed, analyzing the trail of destruction she had left with her last attack.
On the horizon, a long path of destruction sliced through the city as if a titan had swept everything away with a single invisible blow.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Is this the so-called Sentry that scared you? Doesn't seem that strong."
Moldav grimaced, gritting his teeth.
"That one's different. If it were Sentry…"
He swallowed hard, sweat dripping down his temple.
"…I'd be dead before I even realized it."
Quickly changing the subject, he looked at Kela and asked:
"Where's Thokk? We're going to need him."
Before she could answer, something fell from the sky like a meteor, crashing into the ground beside them. The impact opened a giant crater, cracks spreading through the concrete as dust rose like a fog.
When the dust settled, Thokk was revealed.
The large feline humanoid growled, his wild eyes glowing as he stood up.
Kela pointed at him emotionlessly.
"The kitty's here."
Thokk snarled, his sharp teeth gleaming.
"I'm not a pet, bitch."
Moldav just sighed, massaging his temples.
Meanwhile, in the Ruins…
Lucifer rose from the rubble. He was unharmed, without a single injury.
His golden gaze shone, piercing through the destruction around him as if he could see everything and everyone.
He smirked, muttering:
"Hah… so it's three rats, after all."
He tilted his head slightly, as if listening to something.
His eyes glowed even brighter.
"My Master really wants to handle this personally? I could finish off the three of them without any trouble."
A silence followed.
After a few seconds, he sighed, running his hand through his blond hair.
"I see… I see…"
A wide, dangerous smile curved his lips.
"Very well. Then I'll do a good job standing in for you at the Sports Festival."
Back on the other side of the city, Moldav was explaining the situation to Kela.
"I'm telling you. The guy might be a reincarnate. He has multiple abilities and hit me with a Dismantle."
Kela stretched her arms, cracking her bones.
"Then it looks like I'll have to go all out. It's been a while since I used the abilities of the other reincarnates I have contracts with. I barely remember most of them and what they do."
Thokk snorted.
He didn't care about the conversation or the plans.
Without saying anything else, he charged forward.
Moldav muttered something, but then his body flashed brightly.
"SHAZAM!"
A bolt of lightning struck from the sky.
The electricity coursed through his body, the Green Lantern suit merging with the Shazam uniform, creating a new outfit. His muscles expanded, energy surging through him.
He shot after Thokk.
The feline humanoid beast raised his spiked mace, which gleamed as he leaped into the air, descending with all his might onto the rubble where Lucifer had been buried.
*SFX: BOOOOOOM!*
The explosion was overwhelming. Dust and debris spread like a hurricane, shrouding everything in a gray veil.
Moldav, who was flying right behind, muttered irritably:
"This bastard's going to attract a lot of attention if this keeps up… maybe it's my chance to take advantage and escape."
But then—
Something passed by him.
Fast. Very fast.
So fast that Moldav felt the shockwave on his back before he heard the boom.
He froze.
His mind refused to process.
In the thick smoke of the debris, something emerged.
A winged, golden figure.
His long hair shone like molten gold. His eyes carried a divine, intense glow. His cape fluttered in the wind, and his toned body was clad in an impeccable golden suit.
Moldav trembled.
At that moment, he realized…
Everyone was fucked.
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After the small extra activities for the audience and the students who didn't manage to qualify, the long-awaited mano a mano tournament phase was finally announced. The crowd erupted in excited cheers, and the main screen began displaying the matchups:
Subgroup A:
Ryuji Fugimoto vs Ibara Shiozaki
Izuku Midoriya vs Yuga Aoyama
Subgroup B:
Kurohana Nemuri vs Hitoshi Shinso
Momo Yaoyorozu vs Toru Hagakure
Subgroup C:
Shoto Todoroki vs Hanta Sero
Tenya Iida vs Mina Ashido
Subgroup D:
Denki Kaminari vs Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
Ochaco Uraraka vs Eijiro Kirishima
As the names flashed on the screen, the buzz from the stands grew louder, with everyone placing bets on their favorites. In the reserved audience area, three women watched the scene with different reactions.
Josei blinked a few times, surprised. "Ryuji's match is already the first one...?" she murmured, her blue eyes fixed on his name.
Rosa, on the other hand, laughed excitedly. "Perfect! Now I'll finally get to see my miraculous client in action!" She leaned forward, her short triceratops tail wagging slightly with excitement.
Aiko, however, had a more worried look. "I hope he can keep himself in check..." she said, sighing. "He's going up against a girl..."
Josei crossed her arms and nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing."
Rosa just huffed and patted the two on the shoulder. "Oh, you two need to relax! If it were me in his place, I wouldn't hold back at all!"
Josei gave a crooked, awkward smile. "That doesn't reassure me at all, Rosa..."
Aiko let out another tired sigh, but with a small smile. "Well... if that's the case... Ryuji, give it your all!"
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After Cementoss set up the combat arena, Present Mic took his place to enthusiastically announce the first battle of the tournament.
"AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MOMENT HAS ARRIVED!" Present Mic's energetic voice echoed through the stadium. "THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE TOURNAMENT! HE'S BEEN AN IMPENETRABLE WALL SO FAR! WILL HE FULFILL HIS PROMISE TO WIN THE FESTIVAL? LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO... RYUUUUJI FUGIMOTOOOOO!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as Ryuji stepped into the arena with his hands in his pockets and an unusual smile on his face, something out of character for him. His calm gaze swept over the audience before settling on the figure of his opponent. On the other side, Present Mic then turned his attention to her.
"AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE HAVE A ROSE WITH THORNS! FROM CLASS 1-B, THE FIERY FOLLOWER OF FAITH, WHO ISN'T AFRAID TO HURT TO PROTECT HER BELIEFS! IBARAAAAA SHIOZAKIIII!"
Her announcement was met with less enthusiasm, but there were still cheers of support from Class 1-B. Ibara maintained her calm demeanor, but upon seeing Ryuji's relaxed smile, her expression hardened. To her, it was a clear sign of disrespect.
Clasping her hands together, she murmured to herself:
"Lord, forgive the arrogance and insolence of this poor boy... I will teach him myself to never underestimate his opponents."
Ryuji raised an eyebrow, letting out an "Oh?" before Midnight raised her whip and signaled the start of the match.
Without hesitation, Ibara extended her vines to the ground. Like spears, they shattered the concrete and surged toward Ryuji at high speed. In a matter of seconds, he was completely engulfed in a dense cocoon of vines.
The audience held their breath.
"That was way too fast!" exclaimed Kaminari, breaking into a cold sweat.
"Ryuji!" Hagakure expressed her concern, though no one could see her expression.
Iida adjusted his glasses. "This could be problematic... she's extremely skilled with her Quirk."
Neito Monoma, who was nearby, seized the opportunity to mock. "HAHA! See that? And you thought Class 1-A was superior! This is the price of arrogance! Now your ace is out of the game because of it!"
Izuku, who had been silent until now, simply wrote calmly in his notebook before murmuring:
"He's still in the game."
Back in the arena, Midnight was already preparing to declare Ibara's victory, but then... something began to happen.
The cocoon of vines trembled. Small flowers began to sprout and spread rapidly across the vines. The once-dense structure began to open into a rounded shape, resembling a flower bud. A golden glow began to emanate from within, illuminating the entire stadium.
The murmurs ceased. The entire stadium fell silent as the vines blossomed like rose petals, revealing Ryuji's figure floating gently out of the cocoon. His massive, radiant golden wings spread behind him, some feathers drifting and spinning through the air like cherry blossom petals in the wind.
Ibara fell to her knees, her eyes wide and shining with devotion. "THE LORD HAS CALLED ME! I WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE! THE LORD HAS SENT ME AN ANGEL TO GUIDE ME! HALLELUJAH!"
Class 1-A watched in a mix of confusion and awe.
Izuku furrowed his brows. "I knew he liked to show off... but THIS?!"
Iida was dumbfounded. "H-He looks like a divine being...!"
Momo blinked a few times. "Where did those wings come from...?"
Sato scratched his head. "This looks like something out of a fairy tale."
Hagakure, on the other hand, was completely silent. If anyone could see her, they'd notice her eyes were completely lifeless.
Ryuji landed in front of Ibara, his wings fluttering gently, creating a soft breeze around her. He extended his hand to help her up.
"That was a great match," he said with a sweet smile.
Ibara, still stunned, accepted his hand, her face completely red. Without any effort, Ryuji lifted her into his arms and began calmly walking to carry her out of the arena.
The audience erupted into mixed reactions. Some were enchanted, others shocked, and some even moved to tears.
Midnight, finally snapping back to reality, cleared his throat before announcing.
"V-VICTORY TO RYUJI FUGIMOTO!"
As the explosion of celebration echoed through the stadium, everything around Aiko seemed muffled. Her eyes were fixed on the arena, analyzing every detail of Ryuji with a clinical and suspicious gaze. Rosa and Josei, beside her, were still thrilled with the outcome of the fight, but Aiko couldn't shake the strange feeling growing inside her.
Rosa, as always, was the first to break the silence.
"Bueno, at least he didn't hurt the girl at all, right? That was a real spectacle!" She smiled, excited, while waving her hands in the air, still feeling the thrill of the moment.
Josei, distracted and late to the conversation, nodded vaguely.
"Yeah... true..."
Her ears lowered slightly as her eyes drifted away from the arena for a brief moment. Her chest felt strangely heavy, but she decided to ignore it.
Aiko, on the other hand, was more focused than ever. Her gaze was sharp, almost analytical.
"He never acts like this..." she murmured to herself, but loud enough for Rosa to hear.
"What?" Rosa tilted her head to the side, confused.
Aiko blinked a few times before suddenly breaking into a smile.
"Ah! THAT'S IT!"
Her excitement took over, making Rosa and Josei look at her with even more confusion.
"What? What is it, mamacita?!" Rosa insisted, leaning closer.
Aiko turned completely to them, grabbing Rosa's shoulders with excitement.
"My son has never shown interest in girls before! Since he was little, he always ignored any kind of flirtation or romantic interaction. I even started to think he played for the other team! But now... now I get it!"
Rosa's eyes widened before she broke into a big smile.
"WAIT, ARE YOU SAYING HE DID ALL THIS FOR THE GIRL?!" Her tone was a mix of shock and excitement.
"OF COURSE HE DID!" Aiko confirmed, pointing directly at Ibara, who was still standing in the arena, seeming lost in her own thoughts. "He's never put on a show like this before. But today, with this girl, he decided to go all out! This can only mean one thing: he likes her!"
Rosa let out an excited squeal, holding her face with her hands.
"Ay, Dios mío! How adorable! He did all that to impress her! That must have been a dream for the girl!" Her whole body trembled with excitement, as if she were witnessing the beginning of an epic romance.
Josei, on the other hand, just smiled wryly at the two and their romantic fantasies. "You guys really love making up stories, huh..." she said, trying to keep her tone light.
However, when she turned her gaze back to the arena, that discomfort in her chest returned. Something felt... off about her. But she quickly pushed the thought away, ignoring the bad feeling.
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(A/N: Okay, this chapter was fun to write, especially the ending lol. I finished moving yesterday, I still have a lot of stuff left to unpack, but I had time to write this chapter. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, the next one will be out in about 3 days, I'll be very busy finishing up my move. See you in the next update.)