.
'The U.A. Sports Festival is approaching.'
The day after the temporary school closure due to the USJ attack incident. Aizawa-sensei, transformed into a mummy covered in bandages from head to toe, announced those words, declaring our next goal as Class 1-A.
Honestly, he looked so painfully injured that I wished he'd just stay in bed, or that they'd at least assign a substitute teacher, makes you wonder if U.A. is actually kind of a harsh place. I ended up tuning out about half of what he said, but the gist was: do your best at the Sports Festival.
Come to think of it, I wondered why Aizawa-sensei didn't ask Recovery Girl to heal him. When I quietly asked after homeroom, it turned out there were various reasons why it was better not to heal everything all at once.
Healing isn't a one-size-fits-all solution where activating healing abilities fixes everything instantly. This isn't a video game.
In Aizawa-sensei's case, his arms and face had suffered complex injuries, some so severe they were close to comminuted fractures. To prevent bones from healing crookedly or shattered fragments from getting near joints, nerves, or blood vessels, he apparently needed surgical procedures too. So, they're letting him heal naturally to monitor the progress.
If it were just a matter of lacking stamina, I could've shared a bit of mine... but I guess things don't always go smoothly in life.
Anyway, back to the Sports Festival.
In this world, ever since 'Quirks', supernatural abilities, became commonplace, 'sports' where people compete under basically equal conditions, showcasing their talent and effort... especially events like the 'Olympics,' have been on a steady decline.
Well, that makes sense... someone with a Quirk advantageous for a sport would obviously dominate... and creating rules to 'ensure fairness' while accounting for that would be tough, no, impossible.
One of the events now receiving the most attention as a replacement for the Olympics is this Sports Festival.
Well, you can't just dismiss it as an ordinary high school sports festival... after all, it's a stage where students who've passed through the narrow gates of a school with a 79 deviation score and a 300-to-1 acceptance rate compete using their 'Quirks' to the fullest. Of course, it's packed with highlights.
It's an event made possible precisely because there's a faculty of excellent and powerful teachers who can handle any unforeseen incidents... thinking about it again, it's amazing that most of the teachers are pro heroes, yeah. On the day of the event, they even hire additional heroes for security.
I've seen it on TV a few times, and the battles were so flashy they made shows like The Prince of Tennis, Inazuma Eleven, and Shaolin Soccer look pale in comparison... it wasn't CG or anything, and seeing such intense fights broadcast live was more than just nail-biting, it was thrilling.
...Well, being live broadcast, sometimes accidents happen too...
I remember a mysterious boy who suddenly became completely naked during the events last year and the year before... probably related to his 'Quirk,' but what on earth was that about...
Since I was formerly male, I was just surprised, but I clearly remember the female friend watching with me screaming. Even if it was just a moment, it was shown plainly on the TV screen... something that normally shouldn't be broadcast without mosaic, shown uncensored...
And so. This year, I'm on the participating side of that Sports Festival...
I can't show a pathetic figure on a nationwide live broadcast. I have to train properly to be able to move well.
Moreover, the Sports Festival is also an opportunity for the students.
The Sports Festival draws attention not just for entertainment, but also because pro heroes and related parties watch it for 'scouting' purposes.
For those of us aiming to become heroes after graduation, we must make the most of this Sports Festival to showcase our abilities and attract the attention of many pros.
The better our performance and the stronger the impression we leave, the more advantageous it is for us.
Hearing that, I can't help but get fired up. It's only natural as a hero-in-training.
That's why... I could pretty much predict what he'd say to me after school.
☆☆☆
Side. Midoriya Izuku
During class, Aizawa-sensei lit a fire under us,
At lunch, Uraraka-san told me her motivation for aiming to become a hero,
And also during lunch (the latter half), I talked with All Might in the nap room.
All Might seemed to have heard about my fight at USJ to some extent, and he praised me, saying he didn't expect me to master it to this extent in such a short time.
As for me... well, I do feel I've grown, but I still think I have a long way to go. Even the power I can use stably with 'Full Cowl' is only about 2-3% of my full power at best.
And on top of that, All Might also told me that the upcoming Sports Festival is a chance. A major opportunity to show, with all of Japan watching, that 'I am here' as the successor to the Symbol of Peace.
All Might is expecting things from me too. Then... I absolutely have to deliver results here!
With these events happening one after another, I felt the flame burning in my heart grow even larger.
Also, when I talked with All Might during that lunch break... since it was a good opportunity, I reported how I managed to master 'Full Cowl'... or rather, the control of 'One For All' to this extent.
Not so much the process, but straight up... it's thanks to the after-school special training I'm doing with her.
"With the Fumiko girl?"
"Yes, we borrow a training facility after school, and she helps me with power control training... ah, of course, I haven't told her anything about 'One For All' or All Might."
"I see, that's fine then. But... I see, so there was such a secret behind your rapid power-up."
"Ah... well... I just couldn't get the hang of it on my own... sorry."
"No, no, there's nothing to apologize for. While going overboard is another matter, borrowing someone's help to find a clue is also a valid path. ...Ideally, I should be the one overseeing your training, but I'm sorry, I can hardly find the time. I feel more apologetic for leaving everything to you."
"N, no no no, not at all! All Must be busy with teaching duties too! And also... Fumiko-san's teaching method is really easy to understand. Since we both have Enhancement-type Quirks, and the part where putting too much power risks breaking your own body is similar... she seems to have struggled with that in the past too."
"Oh..."
I explained, albeit very briefly, what we do in our training together and how I've been learning to use my power through it.
...I omitted or glossed over the somewhat embarrassing scenes or training methods... sorry All Might, please forgive me for that.
All Might listened quietly, nodding with interest as he heard the story.
"Starting from a genuine 0%, taking your time to learn control patiently, without rushing... 'building up'... I see, that was a blind spot for me. In my case, I could use it to some extent from the beginning."
Ah, I thought so... All Might, you're amazing as expected!
But, that's the problem, Fumiko-san said something about that, didn't she... that genius types are hopelessly unsuited as educators for effort-based types. ...I won't say it though.
"It was undoubtedly fortunate for you to become classmates with her and even become close enough to train together. Do you plan to train together for the Sports Festival too?"
"Yes, starting today! Ah, but I've been relying on her so much lately, I need to think of some way to thank her..."
Not just for the training supervision, but also during the recent USJ incident... she saved me when I was in danger. Like when I was restrained by the Nomu.
At the end, she even tried to shield me from the enemy's attack with her own body... ah, r, right, back then I, Fumiko-san, that... I, I was hugged, and I saw, no, even touched...
Uh, umm, that was... since I ended up doing that to a girl's, um, that area like that, should I prepare something as thanks, or as an apology? But she said it was in the heat of the moment and didn't seem to mind at all... would it bother her instead? Or would 'thanks' be taken the wrong way after something like that? Ahhh, thinking about it makes me remember more and more, my face is getting hot...
"...? What's wrong, Midoriya, my boy? Your face is red... is the room hot?"
"Huh!? Ah, no, yes, it was warm and soft!"
"Huh?"
Crap, my honest impression slipped out!
I managed to gloss over it at the time... but after school.
In the usual training room, I was alone with Fumiko-san again.
B, because I remembered that weird thing during lunch, I can't really look her in the face... n, no, calm down, me! She's here to train with me, using her own precious time... and yet, I can't have such impure thoughts! It's disrespectful to Fumiko-san!
...Actually, honestly speaking, she probably wants to train for the Sports Festival too... and I'm making her waste her time for my sake, which makes me feel sorry.
If only I had more knowledge or know-how to strengthen myself on my own...
"It's fine, I'm doing this because I want to."
"Wha!?"
She suddenly said something that hit right at the heart of my thoughts, making me let out a strange sound of surprise.
I, I didn't say it out loud, did I!? D, did she read my mind!?
"It's written on your face. Midoriya, you're pretty easy to read, or rather, your expressions are so loud I can tell right away?"
"Ah, r, really..."
L, loud expressions... that's a new kind of description... is it that bad?
"Ah, and also, here, this."
Suddenly saying that, Fumiko-san took something out of her bag and handed it to me.
What's this... oh, it's the gym clothes I lent her.
Neatly wrapped and in a plastic bag... did she maybe take them to a cleaner or something on purpose? She didn't have to go that far...
By the way, the gym clothes I'm wearing now are my spare set. I bought two sets.
...In elementary and middle school, Kacchan often blew up my clothes, making them unwearable... so it became a habit to always have a spare set ready.
"I would've given it to you in class, but I forgot. Anyway, I sent it to a professional, so it's clean now. ...Mineta was saying stupid things like 'You shouldn't wash it before returning it!'"
"Hahaha... Mineta-kun..."
I recall the face of that classmate whose 'girl-loving' character has become fully known in this short time. I can easily imagine him passionately arguing.
...But, Fumiko-san wore these clothes...
That large, warm, soft thing was directly wrapped in these...
"...Midoriya? Um... would it have been better not to wash them?"
"Wha!? N, n, no, not that... it's not like that, um, th, thank you! For even taking them to the cleaners... it must have cost money, right?"
"Nah, that's totally fine. Back then, I was moving around a lot too and was pretty sweaty, and the smell probably soaked in, so I was worried just the washing machine might not get it all out."
That's why this person... just like during that training session the other day, why does she say things at such perfect timing that stir up imagination like this... ahhh, the scent of Fumiko-san mixed with a bit of sweat that I smelled countless times during training flashes back, begone impure thoughts!
I feel like these kinds of things have been increasing since the other day... slacking off, Midoriya Izuku! Isn't it disrespectful to her, who's helping me, to be like this!
"Alright, then Fumiko-san, let's start right away! We don't have much time until the Sports Festival!"
"Hm? Oh, got it, Midoriya. You seem pumped up."
"Yeah! Like Aizawa-sensei and the others said, it's a major event we can't avoid if we want to become heroes!"
If I don't do this, I'll end up conscious of, or rather imagining, various things... that's the truth, but what I just said isn't a lie either.
To meet All Might's expectations, I have to become much stronger and deliver good results!
As for the training method for that... I'll have to rely on Fumiko-san again, which is pathetic... I really have to thank her somehow someday...
Also, I can't keep depending on her forever. I need to study so I can think of and execute my own training methods or menus.
As I was thinking such things,
"Ah, before that, I have something to talk about. Midoriya, um... are you free this weekend?"
"Huh, weekend?"
"Yeah yeah, Saturday and Sunday. See, we got a long weekend because it's before the Sports Festival, right? That, um, ideally if you have time from Friday to Sunday, that'd be best."
In recent school education, the five-day school week... meaning, Monday to Friday are school days, and Saturday and Sunday are off, is common. Clubs and such aside.
But at U.A. High School, perhaps because they pack an educational curriculum sufficient to work as a pro hero after graduation into three short years, Saturday also has regular classes. Only Sunday is off.
If you're aiming to be a hero, that much is to be expected, so I have no complaints. It's not an easy world... everyone else probably feels the same.
But this Saturday and Sunday, since many students would likely devote themselves to self-training before the Sports Festival, we have the whole weekend off. Meaning, free time separate from classes starts from after school on Friday.
Most students will probably devote themselves to training for the Sports Festival, and I planned to do the same. In fact, I was thinking of inviting Fumiko-san even after this.
"I'm free, but... why?"
"Is that so, that's good. Then, Midoriya...
...Why don't you come stay at my place over the weekend?"
…Huh?
•••
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