Adjusts glasses and takes a delicate sip from my white Monster energy drink, pinky raised with elegant precision
"Oh my... would you look at that? 1500 powerstones?" I giggled, the sound echoing through my dimly lit writing cave. "Das dat good shit right there."
My Stitch onesie rustled as I leaned back in my chair, the hood falling over my eyes for a moment before I pushed it back. The multiple screens before me displayed various tournament brackets, character profiles, and an increasingly concerning outline that seemed to stretch into infinity.
"So..." I addressed you directly, my readers, with a slightly manic grin. "Ready to watch Izuku start farming aura like he's Killua? Because this festival arc is about to get wild."
Glances nervously at outline
"Thirty chapters wild, apparently." I chuckled weakly, taking another sip. "You know that moment when you realize you've planned something absolutely massive because you've watched too much JJK and One Piece? Yeah, we're there."
My eyes drifted to a dark corner of my notes, where villain concepts lurked ominously. "I should probably create someone truly terrifying... like Sukuna-level terrifying..."
Shakes head violently
"No, no, no! Bad Wisteria! One massive arc at a time!" I scolded myself, scattering several plot bunnies that had been gathering suspiciously in the corners. "Though... hypothetically..."
Slaps cheeks with both hands
"But before we dive into this absolutely bonkers festival arc that I may or may not have gotten carried away with..."
Glances guiltily at the 'Potential Match-Ups' folder that somehow spans three screens
"I should probably warn you that I've been researching a lot of tournament arcs lately. Like, a lot a lot. We're talking Dark Tournament, Chunin Exams, Heaven's Arena..." My voice trailed off as I realized I might be revealing too much.
"Anyway!" I chirped, straightening up and adjusting my glasses. "Time to watch our boy show everyone what a quirkless badass can do!"
I raised my Monster can in a toast. "Here's to the next thirty chapters of pure, unadulterated chaos! May your theories be wild, your expectations be exceeded, and your hearts be ready for what's coming!"
Winks and vanishes in a puff of plot threads and energy drink vapor
"Enjoy the chapter!"
======
"Our first event is an obstacle course!" Her voice resonated through the stadium. "A race between all eleven classes! The track is four kilometers around the outside of the stadium!" She pointed her whip toward a gate at the far end of the field. "I don't want to restrain anyone too much—at least in this game." She winked, drawing a mixture of cheers and awkward coughs from the audience. "So as long as you stay on the course, anything is fair game!"
The screens shifted to highlight specific sections of the track, each marked with a distinct icon.
"You'll face three distinct obstacles designed to test different aspects of heroism!" Midnight continued. "Each one more challenging than the last! Only the top forty-two students will advance to the next round, so give it everything you've got!"
The crowd roared their approval as we began moving toward the starting gate. Students from different courses jostled for position, some already eyeing the competition with calculation, others looking decidedly nervous.
"Yo, Izu!" Camie appeared beside me, her blonde hair bouncing as she matched my pace. "Ready to show off those moves?" She nudged my arm playfully.
"As ready as I'll ever be." I rolled my shoulders. "Just stay alert out there. This isn't just about speed."
"Facts." She nodded, her expression shifting to something more serious.
The crowd at the starting gate grew dense, students packing together like sardines. I found a spot near the front, close enough to the line but not so aggressive as to draw immediate attention. The last thing I needed was to be targeted from the start.
I closed my eyes, beginning my pre-race ritual. Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot. The gentle bouncing centered me, each small impact grounding my thoughts. The crowd's noise faded, becoming distant background static.
Focus. Breathe. Prepare.
As I balanced on one foot, then the other, my mind drifted back to yesterday's lunch...
"Your form is excellent," Midnight said, delicately cutting her chicken. "Efficient. Precise. Economical."
I nodded, taking a sip of water. "Gramps always said wasted movement means wasted opportunity."
"He's right." She pointed her fork at me. "For combat."
I raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what we're training for?"
"Yes and no." She smiled, leaning forward. "Heroes fight villains, certainly. But they also fight for attention, for sponsors, for public approval." Her eyes gleamed. "Tomorrow isn't just about winning, Izuku. It's about making a name for yourself."
"I thought my abilities would speak for themselves."
Midnight laughed, the sound rich and genuine. "Oh, they will. But presentation matters." She gestured toward a television mounted on the wall, where rerun footage of All Might's rescue played. His booming laugh filled the room as he lifted a bus full of people to safety, his cape billowing dramatically behind him.
"Would All Might be as popular if he was as brooding and angry-looking as Endeavor?" she asked. "Both are incredibly powerful. Both save lives. But one is the Symbol of Peace, beloved by billions. The other..." She shrugged eloquently.
I frowned, considering her words. "So you're saying I should...what? Play to the cameras?"
"I'm saying you should be aware of them." She reached across the table, holding my hand. "You have something special, Izuku. Something beyond your fighting skills. When you move, people watch. When you speak, they listen."
"That's just because—"
"No." Her voice sharpened. "It's not just because you're Quirkless, or because you're attractive. It's because you have presence." Her expression softened. "Don't waste it by being merely efficient. Be memorable."
"RACERS! TAKE YOUR POSITIONS!"
Midnight's voice yanked me back to the present. The starting gate loomed before us, hundreds of students poised on the edge of potential glory or crushing disappointment.
I took one final deep breath, opening my eyes. The world sharpened into crystal clarity—every sound, every movement, every opportunity.
Be memorable.
Midnight raised her whip high above her head, the leather gleaming in the sunlight.
"READY?"
The crowd fell silent, tension thick enough to cut.
The whip cracked.
"BEGIN!"
A buzzer sounded, and chaos erupted.
I exploded forward, legs pumping, heart hammering. Present Mic's voice boomed overhead, Aizawa's reluctant commentary barely audible beneath.
"The start is crucial," Aizawa grumbled. "Why did I let you talk me into this?"
The crowd surged forward, a chaotic mass of bodies and quirks. Ahead, a narrow passage formed a bottleneck. Students jostled for position, quirks flaring.
A blast of frigid air hit my back. I shivered, glancing behind to see Todoroki's ice spreading across the ground. Students slipped and skidded, their progress halted.
I maintained my footing, weaving through the struggling competitors.
Todoroki and I emerged neck and neck from the passage, sprinting full tilt. A thunderous boom announced Bakugo's arrival, a shockwave of heat and force washing over us.
"Don't you dare think you've won, you bastards!" Bakugo's raw, furious voice cut through the air.
"And there you have it, folks!" Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium. "Bakugo joins Midoriya and Todoroki at the front! What a showdown we have brewing!"
Ahead, a solid wall of gleaming steel blocked our path. Robots, dozens of them, stood between us and the next stretch of the course.
"It's the ROBO INFERNO!" Present Mic shouted. "How will our leaders handle this mechanical mayhem?"
Todoroki reacted first. Ice spread from her right side, creating a slick, uneven surface beneath the robots. They wobbled and teetered, losing their balance as Todoroki wove through the chaos.
Bakugo's approach was as brazen and explosive as ever. He launched himself into the air, propelled by his quirk. "Out of my way, you hunks of junk!" he roared, soaring over the robots' heads.
I seized the opening they created, darting between flailing metal limbs. My movements were precise, fluid. A robotic arm swung at my head; I ducked, feeling the rush of air as it passed. Another tried to grab me; I twisted away, slipping through its grasp like smoke through fingers.
"Would you look at that!" Present Mic's voice boomed. "Midoriya's putting on a masterclass in evasion! That's some fancy footwork, folks!"
Efficient. Precise. Economical.
Midnight's words echoed in my mind. I was doing exactly what Bang had taught me—conserving energy, minimizing risk.
But this wasn't just about winning. It was about making a statement.
A massive robot—at least three stories tall—loomed directly in my path, its red sensor eye tracking my movement. The crowd gasped as it raised a giant metal fist, ready to crush me.
Instead of veering around it, I charged straight ahead.
"Is he crazy?" Present Mic shrieked. "That's our modified zero-pointer, folks! The baddest bot in UA's arsenal!"
The robot's fist descended in a blur of metal and momentum. At the last possible second, I leapt, twisting my body into a corkscrew spin that carried me between the robot's massive fingers.
Landing on its wrist, I ran up the length of its arm, my footsteps leaving small dents in the metal plating. The zero-pointer tried to shake me off, but I maintained perfect balance, racing toward its head.
"Unbelievable!" Present Mic's voice cracked with excitement. "Midoriya is treating this monster like a parkour course!"
Reaching the robot's shoulder, I launched myself into a flying kick, my heel connecting with the glowing red sensor. The impact sent shockwaves up my leg, but the eye shattered, circuits sparking.
As the robot began to topple, I pushed off from its failing body, soaring through the air in a graceful arc that carried me clear over the remaining mechanical obstacles.
I landed in a roll, transitioning smoothly back into a sprint.
The crowd's roar was deafening.
"WHAT A SPECTACLE!" Present Mic screamed. "MIDORIYA JUST TOOK DOWN A ZERO-POINTER WITH ONE KICK!"
"He targeted the optical sensor," Aizawa noted dryly. "Efficient."
I glanced back to see Todoroki and Bakugo both looking decidedly irritated that I'd pulled ahead.
The path opened up before me, leading to the next obstacle—a massive canyon spanned by narrow stone pillars and tightropes.
"It's THE FALL!" Present Mic announced. "One wrong step means a long way down, folks!"
The canyon stretched before me, a gaping maw of sheer drops and precarious paths. Thick metal cables spanned the void like spider silk, interspersed with stone pillars that jutted up from the misty depths. The wind whistled through the gorge, making the ropes sway gently.
"Not getting ahead of me this time." Bakugo landed beside me, his palm sparking. Gone was his usual snarl—instead, a confident smirk played across his face. "You're not the only one who's been training, IZUKU!"
The use of my name caught me off guard. Before I could respond, he thrust both hands behind him. Twin explosions rocketed him forward, but something was different. The blasts were tighter, more controlled. He sailed through the air with practiced precision, touching down on a pillar before immediately launching himself toward the next.
"Would you look at that!" Present Mic's voice boomed overhead. "Bakugo's showing off some serious aerial mastery! Those explosions are surgical!"
A wave of frost announced Hitomi's arrival. She stepped onto one of the cables, ice spreading beneath her feet. The metal froze solid, creating a glistening path. "Interesting technique," she said, voice cool as her quirk. "But let's see how it holds up under pressure."
She pushed off, sliding along her frozen bridge with graceful efficiency. More ice spread ahead of her as she moved, turning the obstacle course into her personal glacier.
I chose a cable near the center, testing its tension with one foot. The metal thrummed beneath my weight, solid despite its apparent delicacy. The training with Bang had honed my balance to a razor's edge. This was just another exercise in control.
I broke into a run.
The cable bounced and swayed with each step, but my feet found their mark every time. While Bakugo blasted overhead and Hitomi carved her icy path, I maintained a steady forward momentum. Not as fast as I could go—one mistake here meant a very long fall—but fast enough to stay competitive.
"Three completely different approaches!" Present Mic narrated. "Bakugo's going for raw power, Todoroki's making her own road, and Midoriya's putting on a tightrope clinic!"
"Notice his foot placement," Aizawa cut in. "He's absorbing the cable's movement, using it to maintain rhythm rather than fighting against it."
A explosion above made me glance up. Bakugo had overshot his landing, nearly missing a pillar. His technique was impressive, but the constant quirk usage was taking its toll. His next jump came slower, less precise.
Hitomi faced her own challenge. The wind this high up fought against her ice bridges, causing them to crack and splinter. She had to constantly reinforce her path, each new layer of frost costing precious time and energy.
I pressed my advantage. The cable became an extension of my body as I picked up speed, each step flowing into the next. My awareness expanded, taking in every vibration, every subtle shift in the wind.
"The lead changes again!" Present Mic shouted. "Midoriya's slow-and-steady approach is paying off!"
I reached the far cliff several seconds before the others. The final obstacle sprawled before me—a massive field dotted with suspicious mounds of dirt.
"Welcome to the MINEFIELD!" Present Mic's enthusiasm bordered on manic. "Hope our competitors brought their tap shoes, because one wrong step means BOOM!"
"Die!" Bakugo's voice cracked with fury as he landed behind me. His breathing came heavy, hands trembling from quirk overuse. "You're not beating me, Izu—"
I was already moving.
The mines weren't particularly powerful—this was still a school event—but their placement formed a complex web of overlapping blast zones. A direct path would be suicide. Instead, I let my eyes unfocus slightly, taking in the whole field at once. Patterns emerged in the disturbed earth, showing safer routes between the explosives.
"Blitz."
The world compressed as I shot forward five meters, my modified version of Flash Step carrying me between two mines. Another Blitz, another five meters. The technique wasn't as powerful as its predecessor, but I could chain them together, creating a deadly dance through the minefield.
Behind me, Bakugo's frustration manifested in increasingly desperate explosions. Hitomi tried freezing the ground to safely slide across, but the mines detonated beneath her ice, shattering her path.
I crossed the finish line alone, the roar of the crowd washing over me. Women's voices rose above the general cheering, their excitement almost tangible. I raised one hand in acknowledgment, offering a small wave—
Then I saw her.
Mom stood in the VIP section, jumping up and down with tears streaming down her face. All the poise and elegance she'd developed over our months of training vanished in her pure, unrestrained joy. Pride radiated from her like sunlight.
My diplomatic smile softened into something real. Something private, just for her. Because in that moment, I wasn't the quirkless wonder who'd dominated the obstacle course. I was just her son, making his mother proud.
"WHAT A PERFORMANCE!" Present Mic's voice barely registered. "Midoriya takes first place with a display of skill that has to be seen to be believed! The student who—"
Bakugo crossed the line second, cutting off the commentary with a string of creative profanity. Hitomi followed shortly after, her usual composure cracked by frustration.
But their reactions felt distant, unimportant. My eyes stayed locked with Mom's as she wiped away tears, her smile brighter than any spotlight.