BNHA: Singularity

"What the hell is that...?"
"Are you freaking kidding me...?"
"Lucky bastard..."
Though most of the contestants were focused on the gate in front of them, patiently awaiting the starting countdown, those stuck at the back of the group, who were already annoyed, couldn't help feeling even more annoyed after witnessing Izuku's, Ochaco's, and Tsuyu's 'lovey-dovey' display.
Since Tsuyu was the smaller of the two, not that it mattered too much with Ochaco's Zero Gravity Quirk, Izuku was cradling her in a princess carry while Ochaco floated behind him, her blushing face next to his and her arms wrapped around his neck and chest. She had made herself functionally weightless, but Izuku could still feel her admittedly sizeable breasts pressing into his shoulders as he focused intently on the three lights above the gate.
"This is way more embarrassing than I expected..." muttered Ochaco. However, despite her words, her hold on Izuku strengthed, the result of the lights above the gate glowing green before slowly disappearing as a countdown.
Though Ochaco was already doing precisely that, Izuku said, "Hold on tighter..." as he leaned forward slightly, increasing the amount of energy being channeled through his body. He wouldn't be able to take off like a rocket as he originally planned, but he could gradually ramp up his speed until not even Ida could hope to compete.
As the final light blinked out, Izuku quickly closed the distance he had created between himself and the people at the back of the pack, picking up just enough speed so that when he kicked off against the ground, he leaped over the clumping students. At that exact same moment, Ochaco used her power to make him weightless, allowing them to effectively fly through the corridor while most students could only look up at them with envy. The operative word being 'most.'
While Todoroki created an ice field, using it to trip up other students and accelerate forward, a certain ashen-haired blonde borrowed a page from Izuku's book, propelling himself through the air using the explosions from his palms as he bellowed, "You scheming bastard! Don't think I'll stand by and allow you to keep showing off...!"
Though he recognized the voice as Bakugo, Izuku didn't bother to look back, muttering, "Release your Quirk and then reapply it to yourself. I'm going to speed up..." in a voice only Tsuyu and Ochaco could hear.
Obeying Izuku's instructions, Ochaco pressed the pads of her fingers together, canceling her Quirk before reapplying it to herself before they landed. The frozen terrain allowed them to keep their forward momentum, but Izuku wasn't satisfied with just skating along. The moment he landed, he channeled the energy of One-for-All through his soles, fracturing the ground beneath him as he propelled himself forward with blinding speed. He made sure to limit himself so that Ochaco didn't lose her hold on him, but it was still fast enough to leave most sports cars in the dust.
"What...!?"
Though he was able to propel himself using his ice, Todoroki's physical parameters weren't much higher than a 'peak' human's. Thus, the moment Izuku overtook him, there was little the heterochromatic, red, and white-haired youth could do but stare in awe as the gap between him and Izuku became unbridgeable in an instant.
Liberating Todoroki from his stupor, Bakugo quickly caught up to him, shouting, "Get out of my way, you icy bastard...!"
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Reaching the point in the course where the path opened up quite a bit, Izuku's eyes narrowed as more than a dozen 0-Pointers, accompanied by an assortment of 1, 2, and 3-Point Villain bots, appeared to obstruct their path. If he were alone, Izuku would have capitalized on the opportunity to get his vengeance against the 0-Pointer he was powerless against during the Entrance Exam. Instead, he kicked against the ground with explosive strength, doubling his speed to nearly 100m/s for a brief moment.
Barely managing to hold on, Ochaco closed her eyes and screamed, "I don't think I can hold on for much longer...!!!" at the top of her lungs. Fortunately, Tsuyu was able to hear this, prompting her to use her long, strong, and incredibly elastic tongue to wrap around Ochaco's body.
After passing beneath the 0-Pointers in an instant, Izuku gradually reduced his speed to a more comfortable level, saying, "Sorry about that, Ochaco-san. Fortunately, it looks like the next obstacle was tailor-made for our combination of Quirks..."
Tentatively opening her eyes, Ochaco's body tensed when she saw them approaching a massive pit with rocky platforms linked together by ropes.
"What the heck!? How was UA able to prepare something like this on such short notice!?" exclaimed Ochaco.
Envisioning a blonde-haired, cat-themed Heroine, Izuku remarked, "With the power of Quirks, anything is possible. Speaking of which, you should probably reduce mine and Tsuyu-chan's weights..."
Instead of slowing down, Izuku began ramping up his speed once again. This time, however, the acceleration was markedly more gradual, making things much easier for Ochaco as she used her right hand to pat Tsuyu's head.
"Kero..."
With Tsuyu's weight disappearing, Izuku abruptly sped up before leaping into the air, controlling his strength to ensure he didn't jump too high. The simulated canyon was about 200m across, but with Ochaco making him weightless at the pinnacle of his arc, they were able to clear it in a single bound.
Though it took less than three seconds to clear the canyon, Izuku had enough time to think ("I should look into methods to awaken my other Quirks. Float would be incredible once I master maneuvering through the air with shockwaves...")
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With the final obstacle being a minefield they could simply fly over, no one was surprised when Izuku's group took First Place in the Obstacle Race. There was a bit of contention about who should be the 'true' First Place, but as Izuku had literally carried them through the event, neither Ochaco nor Tsuyu contested the title. As for Second, Tsuyu yielded it to Ochaco since her Quirk was what allowed them to overcome most of the obstacles. The only things she did were curl up in Izuku's arms and use her tongue like a safety harness.
Arriving a few minutes after Izuku's group, crossing the finish line at nearly the same time as Todoroki, Bakugo glowered at the former but didn't say anything. Instead, he stuck his hands in his pockets and moved off to the side, clearly in a bad mood but not wanting to make too much of a scene...
Though he noticed Bakugo's actions, Izuku didn't pay him too much mind. He had used One-for-All to amplify his power by twenty and thirty times during the Obstacle Race, so he was taking a break to recuperate his lost Vit. More accurately, he was chatting with Ochaco and Tsuyu at the water station until Todoroki approached him to say, "You've gotten faster..." with his usual, borderline expressionless face and tone.
Raising his brows, Izuku asked, "As opposed to what? Getting slower? Did you think I just played around these past few weeks...?"
Leaving Izuku a little speechless, Todoroki gave an affirming nod, stating, "That's what it seemed like to me. I heard from the others that you spent most of your time doing basic training at the gym and loitering around the Support Department's Development Studio. Was that some kind of ploy to get us to lower our guards...?"
Adopting a slightly annoyed look, Izuku asked, "If it were, would there be any merit in me telling you?"
Shaking his head, Todoroki replied, "I suppose not. Either way, First Place in this year's Sports Festival is bound to be mine. I wish you luck securing Second..."
Finished with what he had to say, Todoroki turned around and walked away with a resolute look on his face. If Izuku was the original, he might have attempted to stop him. Instead, he just shook his head, waiting for the icy-hot youth to get out of listening distance before continuing his conversation with Ochaco and Tsuyu. They were currently speculating what the second event would be based on information from past Sports Festivals. Tsuyu, somewhat surprisingly, landed on the right answer from the beginning, but, despite knowing this, Izuku still agreed that if one of them were correct, the other two would have to obey one request issued by the winner...
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By the end of the Obstacle Race, forty-seven students had qualified for the second round. Most, unsurprisingly, originated from the Hero Course, but there were a few outliers from the General and Support Courses. This included a salmon-haired inventress, who, after spotting Izuku, bolted over to him, exclaiming, "How come you never told me you were so fast!? Wait, now that I think about it, you never did tell me what your Quirk was, did you?"
Before Izuku could respond, Ochaco, with a somewhat guarded look on her face, asked, "Who's this girl, Izuku-kun? The two of you seem pretty familiar with one another..."
Answering in Izuku's stead, Mei puffed out her chest, emphasized by the harness she was wearing, declaring, "I'm Mei Hatsume! Izuku-kun and I make babies together when he isn't busy with classes or training!"
"..."
Though he expected Mei's response, Izuku was still left speechless. As for Ochaco and Tsuyu, they both looked toward him with narrowed eyes, the latter questioning, "Don't you think it's a little too early for things like that, Izuku-chan?" in a judgmental tone.
Adopting a deadpan expression, Izuku asked, "Just what do you think of me?" before clarifying, "The 'babies' Mei is referring to are her inventions. I sponsor her with materials, and the two of us share a workstation in the Support Department's Development Studio..."
Providing Izuku some relief, Mei nodded in affirmation, stating, "That's right. And since they're babies that Izuku helped me build, that makes him the Father of Invention and me the Mother. Pretty awesome, right?"
Realizing they had misjudged the situation, Tsuyu hung her head slightly and muttered, "Sorry, Izuku-chan..." while Ochaco just stared at Mei as if she were a strange, unidentified organism.
Shaking his head, Izuku said, "It's fine. I'm not the type to take misund-"
Interrupting Izuku's response, Midnight, standing atop the same stage as before, shouted, "Students who triumphed during the preliminaries, stand before me! I will now be explaining the rules for the second event...!"
With everyone shuffling over in response to Midnight's instructions, Izuku adopted a wry smile and suggested, "Let's make our way over. And good luck with your predictions."
"Hmmm~?"
Hearing Izuku mention predictions, Mei moved closer to him, standing well within his personal space as they walked along, asking, "What's this about a prediction? Did the three of you make a bet?"
Nodding his head, Izuku was about to explain the terms of their bet when Ochaco abruptly grabbed his hand, pulling him along as she shouted, "We don't have time for this! We need to hurry up and join the others...!"
With Ochaco utilizing her Quirk to 'force' his compliance, Izuku blinked several times in surprise as he thought, ("Was she always this prone to jealousy? Or did I overdo it when I pulled some strings to get her family a government contract...?")
With Ochaco refusing the phone he tried to gift her at the last moment, Izuku made good on his promise to 'uncover' the reason for her inability to upgrade her flip phone. It turned out her parents, or, more accurately, the construction company they owned, had been saddled with debt after a workplace accident resulted in them being sued for negligence. Izuku lacked the means to pay off their nearly &yen;300,000,000 debt, but he was able to convince Nezu to pull some strings to secure them some work. Izuku hadn't told Ochaco any of this, but he wouldn't be surprised if she had figured it out when her parents told her the good news...after all, it occurred only three days after she rejected his offer...
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Once everyone had gathered around, Midnight revealed what the second event would be, surprising everyone but Izuku as she explained, "As some of you have very clearly realized, teamwork and a spirit of cooperation are among the most important traits of a Pro Hero. As such, the second event is one of the favorites of the UA High Sports Festival, the heart-pounding Human Cavalry Battle!!"
From her position next to Izuku, Tsuyu's eyes widened as she remarked, "I guessed correctly..." in a disbelieving tone. As Midnight had pointed out, the Human Cavalry Battle was one of the more common events at the UA High Sports Festival, but Tsuyu was still surprised since it meant she had won her bet with Izuku and Ochaco.
Hearing Tsuyu's utterance, a teasing smile developed across Izuku's face as he whispered, "Just don't request anything inappropriate..."
Opening her eyes even wider, Tsuyu was about to assert she would never do such a thing but stopped when she noticed Izuku wasn't staring back at her. He, like most of the other students, was paying close attention to Midnight's explanation, so Tsuyu swallowed her 'grievances' and did the same...
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Much like the canon he was familiar with, Izuku was given a headband with a point value of 10,000,000. Unlike the original, however, Izuku wasn't lacking in people who were willing to team up with him. Rather, the moment Midnight afforded them fifteen minutes to find up to three team members, Mei asked the obvious, "I guess that means the four of us will form a team...?"
Though he didn't mind forming a team with the three girls, Izuku pointed out, "That's fine by me, but it might be better if we split up for this leg of the competition. Working together during multiple events could make the Scouts believe we're a 'packaged deal.' If that doesn't bother you, we can have Tsuyu-chan as our rider. With how skilled she is with her tongue, she should be able to snatch multiple headbands with ease."
Hearing Izuku comment on her 'tongue skills,' a potent blush developed through Tsuyu's cheeks. Her expression didn't change, but she pulled the usually dangling tip of her tongue back into her mouth with a 'fwip.'
Appreciating Izuku's choice of words, Mei held her stomach and laughed heartily before remarking, "I always knew we were kindred spirits, Izuku-kun!"
Feigning ignorance, a bewildered look marred Izuku's face as he asked, "What? Did I say something strange...?"
Intruding on the conversation before any of the three girls could respond, the towering, six-armed Shoji appeared rather abruptly, directing his gaze to Tsuyu as he said, "If the four of you have yet to form a team, would you mind joining mine? With my arms as a shield, we should be able to protect and snatch headbands easily."
Not expecting someone other than Izuku to approach her, Tsuyu found herself in a difficult position. She didn't like disappointing others, so she hated being placed in situations where she had to choose between two or more people.
Instead of directly responding to Shoji's request, Tsuyu shifted her gaze to Ochaco, asking, "What will you do, Ochaco-chan?"
Blinking in surprise, Ochaco pointed to herself and asked, "Me? I'm going to team up with Izuku-kun. I mean, we still have two more years to prove ourselves to the Scouts. I don't mind if I don't stand out much right now. I just want to give it my all alongside my friends."
"Kero..."
Turning her attention to Shoji, Tsuyu adopted an apologetic expression as she said, "Sorry, Shoji-kun. I'm going to continue teaming up with Ochaco and Izuku-chan for this Sports Festival, ribbit."
"I understand," replied Shoji. Then, with a wave of his right hand and tentacles, he turned to leave, adding, "I wish the four of you the best of luck during the remaining events," as he returned to his other teammate's side. When Tsuyu saw it was Mineta, goose pimples spread across her body as she imagined being trapped in Shoji's arms alongside the Class pervert...
"Then it looks like everything's decided!" exclaimed Mei. However, before she could suggest distributing her gear across their team, another person showed up, Toru in her gym uniform.
Sounding audibly nervous, Toru bent forward slightly, her hands behind her back as she asked, "Umm...if it isn't too much to ask, can I join your team?" while staring up at Izuku.
Sparing Izuku the need to respond, at least for the moment, Ochaco smiled apologetically as she expressed, "Sorry, Hagakure-san, but our team already has four members. You could try asking Koda-kun or Sato-kun if they need a fourth."
"Oh, I see..." replied Toru. She already suspected the four had formed a team when she noticed them together, but a part of her hoped that Izuku would make a concession for her sake. It was 'really' difficult to stand out with a Quirk like Invisibility, so attaching herself to a high-profile team like Izuku's was one of her only options.
Catching all four girls by surprise, Izuku exhaled a faint sigh through his nose before saying, "Sorry, Mei-san, but can you please let Toru-san take your place? I promise to make it up to you later."
While Toru was surprised to the point of tearing up, Mei didn't hesitate to respond, "Sure thing!" in a chipper tone. "I mean, the only reason Support students participate in events like this is to attract Sponsors. I can do the same during the School Festival a few months from now, so it's no sweat off my brow. Besides, I already have a sug&ndash;I mean, I already have you to Sponsor me."
Without waiting for Izuku to respond, Mai followed Shoji's example by abruptly leaving the moment she was finished speaking. There were only ten minutes left until the second round started, so she needed to find a few teammates(suckers) to help promote her Support items.
After following Mei's departure with his eyes, Izuku turned to Toru, his smile tinged with a certain 'gentleness' as he said, "Be sure to thank Mei the next time you see her, okay?"
As she was too busy covering her mouth to stifle her faint sobbing, Toru just nodded in response to Izuku's words. Ochaco and Tsuyu both noticed this abnormality, but instead of drawing attention to it or asking what was wrong, they politely feigned ignorance...
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Though Tsuyu was indisputably their best option for their rider/headband snatcher, she relinquished the role to Toru without needing to be asked. It was obvious to her why Toru needed to be on a team like Izuku's, so she and Ochaco served as the back-end supports while Izuku functioned as the 'horse.'
To make it more difficult for their opponents to snatch their headbands, Toru did the same thing she did in the anime, removing her top and bra so that her upper body was invisible. While this seemed incredibly risque, it actually provided two benefits. The first was that the enemy couldn't see her hands, allowing her to snatch headbands more easily. The second, far more significant benefit was that most of the male participants wouldn't even attempt to grab her headband. After all, if they missed and touched something they shouldn't, they risked being labeled a pervert...
Despite feeling something occasionally graze the top of his head, Izuku's expression was a mask of intense focus as he eagerly awaited the start of the match. The rules prohibited participants from deliberately attempting to trip or knock down other teams. Because of this, Izuku had positioned his team near the very edge of the area, intending to stand his ground and 'crush' anyone that came their way. After all, with 10,000,425 points, they weren't exactly hurting for more.
With similarly intense looks on their faces, virtually every other team in the second event's Cavalry Battle had their eyes on the 10,000,425-point headband around Toru's head. This was especially true for the teams led by Bakudo and Todoroki, both enthusiastic, maybe even a little desperate, to show their worth.
"Now, without further ado, let the final countdown begin! Three....two..."
As Midnight started the final countdown from three, Izuku's expression hardened as he muttered, "Remember, our goal is absolute victory. We will not give a single centimeter..."
"Right...!" replied the three girls, albeit with varying degrees of excitement and nervousness. Ochaco had proposed they avoid combat by flying into the air, but Izuku insisted they remain on the ground. Toshinori had asked him to exhibit his power, much like he had petitioned 'Deku' in the original series, so Izuku didn't have the option of running. Not because it was a request from Toshinori but because he refused to lose to a bunch of brats when monsters like All-for-One awaited him in the future...
"One...!"
"Back off, you extras! That ten-million headband is mine...!"
The moment Midnight finished her countdown, Bakugo abandoned his team and charged at Izuku, propelling himself through the air with his explosions. His actions could be seen as a violation of the rules, but so long as contestants didn't touch the ground or purposely knock off their opponents, pretty much anything was allowed.
Narrowing his eyes, Izuku said, "Tsuyu-chan, don't let Toru fall..." as he began channeling energy into his right leg. In response to his words, not only did Tsuyu wrap her tongue around Toru's waist, the latter sat on the two girls' shoulders for support, allowing Izuku a greater range of motion as he raised his foot in a faux Muay Thai pose, waiting until Bakugo was within his range before extending his foot like a spring.
Though Bakugo was among the students with the highest Level, his Quirk was an emission type. It very clearly enhanced his body when in use, but compared to Izuku, whose attributes could briefly exceed 10,000, there was an incomprehensible gulf between them. If Izuku didn't arrest his foot's momentum mere centimeters away from Bakugo's face, repelling him with pure wind pressure, he might have kicked the boy's head clean off.
"What the hell...!?" screamed Bakugo, barely gaining control of his body after flipping several times through the air. Once he had, a mixture of fear and anger reflected in his crimson eyes as he looked at Izuku, unable to understand how a boy that had once followed him around like a homeless puppy was so powerful.
Lowering his foot, Izuku's voice was loud enough that everyone paying attention to him was able to hear as he borrowed a page out of Toshinori's book, declaring, "You will not get your hands on this headband? Why, you ask? Because I. AM. HERE...!"
Realizing that Izuku was mimicking his Hero, All Might, Bakugo's explosion-like hair became noticeably spikier as he shouted, "Dekuuuuuuuuu...!" in a blind rage.
Propelling himself forward like a rocket, Bakugo looked like he was ready to blast Izuku directly with his Quirk. Instead, just out of range of Izuku's kick, he performed an abrupt spinning maneuver, creating a 'smokescreen' with his explosions before propelling himself through the wall of flames in an attempt to get his hands on the 10,000,425-point headband. Doing so left him with slight burns on his face, but he wasn't phased as he shouted, "This belongs to me...!" in furious triumph.
Instead of trying to block Bakugo's 'attack,' Toru left the ashen-blonde speechless by dodging backward, effectively rolling off of Ochaco's and Tsuyu's shoulders, trusting that the latter wouldn't let her hit the ground. As a result, Bakugo flew clean over her, his hand momentarily following in the direction of her movement before he clicked his tongue and retracted it. After all, while he was known for his explosive temperament, he wasn't a pervert...
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With the conclusion of Golden Week, the day of the UA Sports Festival had finally arrived. Class 1-A had been asked to gather in a waiting room so they could step out onto the field together, so Izuku promptly headed that way after getting changed into his gym uniform.
As usual, Izuku was one of the very first to arrive, appearing second only to Yaoyorozu. When she noticed him entering, her expression blossomed into a smile as she commented, "You're looking especially focused today, Midoriya-kun. I take it you're satisfied with the preparations you made for the Sports Festival?"
Adopting a smile of his own, Izuku confidently replied, "I'm planning to take first in the entire event. But let's both give it our all."
Extending his fist for a bump, the corners of Izuku's smile curled upward when Yaoyorozu initially just stared at it. When she eventually realized his intentions, the faintest of blushes colored her cheeks as she reciprocated the gesture and replied, "Yes, let's give it our all! As for your declaration of claiming first...I won't make things easy for you!"
Retracting his hand, Izuku remarked, "I would be disappointed if you did. I trained hard for this day..."
Noticing a familiar figure enter the waiting room, Izuku's words gradually trailed off as his gaze 'met' Toru's. He couldn't actually see her face, but he was certain their gazes had met since she abruptly stopped, standing stock still in the entrance.
Following Izuku's gaze, Yaoyorozu, seemingly unaware of the sudden tension, beamed as she said, "Oh, Hagakure-san! Midoriya-kun and I were discussing the Sports Festival. He claims he'll be taking first place, so let's both do our best to stop him!"
Freed from her stupor, Toru pumped her fists and replied, "Of course! I trained super-duper extra hard for today's festival, so I won't be yielding the crown that easily...!"
Seeing Toru back to her usual self, or at least pretending to be, Izuku felt obliged to play along, regaining his smile as he said, "Then I'll have to do my best."
With that said, Izuku, Yaoyorozu, and Toru made casual conversation until their remaining classmates began trickling in. Izuku thought of separating himself from the duo once another girl arrived, but he became stuck when Ochaco, Tsuyu, and Mina entered the waiting room together. He had been radio silent the latter half of Golden Week, so Mina, in particular, had a lot of questions she wanted answers to before she was willing to let him go...
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"Now, let's hear a ripping round of applause for our First Year students! Starting with the Department of Heroes', Class 1-A...!!!"
Prompted by Present Mic's introduction, Izuku and the rest of his Class made their way out onto a circular grass field, surrounded by a stadium packed to the brim with well over 50,000 people.
Since many of his classmates were nervous about having so many eyes on them, Izuku gave them at least a basic idea of what they should be doing by raising his hand, smiling, and waving. The entire purpose of the Sports Festival was to show off, appeal to Pro Heroes, and impress future Sponsors. Displaying confidence and making a good first impression was nearly as important as your actual performance.
Following Class 1-A's entrance, Class 1-B from the Hero Course, Classes 1-C, D, and E from the General Course, Classes 1-F, G, H from the Support Course, and Classes 1-I, J, and K from the Business Course made their way onto the field. There was very little fanfare for the General, Support, and Business Classes, but Class 1-B was nearly as popular as 1-A due to the latter having no real hand in repelling the Villains during the attack on USJ.
Once each of the Classes had taken their positions, Midnight, wearing her incredibly scant Hero costume, made her way onto the field, climbing the stairs to an elevated platform as the crowd and many among the students celebrated her arrival.
After reaching the microphone that had been prepared for her, Midnight flicked her leather BDSM whip and shouted, "Silence, everyone! It's now time for the Student Pledge! As for the Representative of the First Years, I call Izuku Midoriya to the stage...!"
Blinking in surprise, countless thoughts invaded Izuku's mind, chief among them being, ("What the fuck?") followed by, ("Shouldn't it be Todoroki or another one of the referral students...?")
Despite the many questions appearing in his mind, Izuku made his way up to the stage with a practiced, casual, and confident smile. He wasn't one of the people who feared public speaking, but he would be lying if he said it wasn't a little unnerving to be the focus of tens of thousands of people, and that was just in the stands. The international viewership of the Sports Festival exceeded 300,000,000, so there were 'a lot' of eyes on him...
Making his way up to the prepared microphone, Izuku raised his gaze to the crowd, forcibly maintaining his mask as he considered what he should say. He was ultimately the Representative of all the First Years present, so while it was tempting to say something arrogant, doing so would come at the cost of his public image and rapport.
After a brief moment of consideration, aided by his combined Intelligence and Dexterity, Izuku calmly stated, "Though it's only been a month since we became students at UA, everyone here is giving it their all to carve a path toward their future. While the Hero Course is undoubtedly the focus of today's events, please show some consideration for those in the other Departments. In a world where Quirks make anything possible, physical fitness and combat proficiency are not the only metrics for talent. Please keep that in mind."
Punctuating his speech with a bow, Izuku was relieved when the crowd practically erupted. Humility, especially in the strong, was a trait that was greatly appreciated by the public. If Izuku was going to become the No. 1 Pro in the future, even if only for a short while, he needed to have at least some awareness of how others perceived him.
Pressing a button in her palm that disabled the mic, Midnight surprised Izuku by remarking, "My, aren't you a little cutie..." before punctuating her words with a playful wink. "Now, get off the stage so we can proceed with the first event."
Responding with a curt nod, Izuku descended from the stage and retook his place among the students of Class 1-A. They were asked to stand in order of their seating chart, so Yaoyorozu was only two spaces behind him, ignoring the fact Mineta was between them as she said, "That was an incredible speech, Midoriya-kun. I understand why you were chosen as the Representative of all the First Years."
Speaking from Izuku's right, Sero added, "Yeah. If it were me, I would have tried showing off to market myself. Guess I still have a lot to learn before becoming a Pro, huh?"
Adopting a faint smile, Izuku replied, "We all do." before adding, "Also, we should probably quiet down. Midnight-sensei is glaring at us..."
As she could hear Izuku's remark, Midnight narrowed her blue eyes in amusement before flipping on her mic and shouting, "Without further ado, it's time to get started! The first game is what you call a qualifier. In other words, this is where you begin feeling the pain...!"
Striking a pose with her whip, a holographic display appeared behind Midnight, a roulette-like wheel appearing on the screen as she mused, "The first game of the festival is...what could it be~?"
In response to Midnight's words, the roulette abruptly came to a stop, revealing the words 'Obstacle Race' in big, bold letters. At the same time, Midnight snapped her whip and exclaimed, "Ta-da! The first event will be an Obstacle Race! The track is a four-kilometer obstacle course that runs around the stadium~!"
Directing a narrow-eyed gaze to the students below, Midnight licked her lips and added, "I don't want to restrain anyone, at least not in this game. As long as you don't leave the course, everyone here is free to do as their heart desires! Now then, take your places, contestants! It's time to show everyone here what you can do...!"
As the crowd erupted in response to Midnight's words, the eleven First Year Classes raced to be the first at the starting point. Those with keen eyes and common sense could see that the opening wasn't very wide, so if you found yourself at the back of the pack, you would need to wait for everyone else to get through before doing so yourself.
Contrasting the frenzy of the other students, Izuku intentionally took his time reaching the gate. What he didn't anticipate, though he really should have, was for his actions to draw the attention of some of his classmates. More specifically, Ochaco and Tsuyu came over to him, the latter taking the initiative to ask, "What's up, Izuku-chan? Don't you want to get a good position at the gate?"
Adding to Tsuyu's words, Ochaco exclaimed, "Yeah! If we don't hurry and take our positions, we'll end up getting entangled like the students during the evacuation!"
Understanding that the duo was compromising their placements out of concern for him, Izuku's smile broadened as he replied, "Thanks for your concern, but I won't have any trouble getting through the gate. And if you combine your powers, I bet the two of you can leap over the entire group in a single bound."
Touching her bottom lip out of habit, Tsuyu asked, "Is that even allowed? I know Midnight-sensei said we could do whatever we wanted, but this is still a competition. Teaming up feels like cheating."
Shaking his head, Izuku asserted, This might be a competition, but it's also an opportunity for us to demonstrate the types of Heroes we wish to become. Most of the Scouts won't be looking for hotheaded powerhouses that can sweep through a group of Villains in the blink of an eye. I imagine the vast majority will be searching for capable and cooperative individuals they can potentially groom into Sidekicks."
"That...makes a lot of sense..." remarked Tsuyu.
Spurred by Izuku's words, Ochaco's face blossomed into a smile as she asked, "If that's the case, then why don't the three of us team up!? If we work together, I'm certain we can sweep through the competition...!"
Adopting a markedly wrier smile, Izuku explained, "I would like that, but there's just one problem."
"What's that?" asked Ochaco, tilting her head curiously.
"I'm a guy, and the two of you are cute girls," explained Izuku. "If I were to carry you or run with you on my back, nearly every male in the stadium would come to resent me."
"Ah..."
Envisioning the scene of her clinging to Izuku as he ran at full speed, a faint blush colored Ochaco's perpetually blushing cheeks. As for Tsuyu, she offered one of her characteristic 'keros' before pointing out, "Maybe, but it's a good way to show people you're capable of performing rescues. Being able to transport people to safety is an important skill for a Hero to have. That's especially true for people with reinforcement Quirks, ribbit..."
Realizing there was a considerable amount of truth to Tsuyu's words, Izuku paused for a moment before adopting a broad smile and saying, "If that's the case, I wouldn't mind carrying the two of you to the finish line. But won't that be pretty embarrassing?"
Without so much as a second of deliberation, Tsuyu replied, "I don't really mind, ribbit. This is just the first round of the Sports Festival, so we'll have plenty of chances to show off if we perform well in this event."
Emboldened by Tsuyu's words, Ochaco pumped her fists in a guts pose as she appended, "Let's do this!" with a resolute smile. The thought of being carried by a boy on international television honestly scared her. However, since the boy in question was Izuku, she was, for reasons she didn't fully understand, more excited than afraid...
...
..
.

Chapter 29: Chapter 29