Tokoyami's Dark Shadow intercepted Katsuki Bakugo mid-air, forcing him back. Bakugo landed on his team again, his expression dark with irritation.
"Bakugo, at least warn us before you go flying off!" Kirishima complained. As the rider, Bakugo abandoning his team mid-battle was far from ideal.
"You're so damn annoying!!"
"Izuku, flip the headband with the score and wear it around your neck," Tokoyami said, handing him another band.
"We're not just defending a small lead anymore," Izuku said, his tone sharpening. "Dark Shadow is covering our blind spots."
"Then… I'm going all out."
Izuku raised his arm again, forming a bow of crackling green energy—but this time, it was far larger than before. His left hand, gripping the bow, began to glow red, while the hand holding the arrow took on a faint purple tint.
"Arrow Rain!"
The massive arrow shot skyward and burst like fireworks. Dozens of smaller arrows rained down around them, forming a defensive barrier.
"Now we hold our ground."
"You think that'll stop us?!"
Two cavalry teams charged straight at them.
"Arrow Two!"
Two arrows shot forward—clean, precise.
Both opposing teams lost their headbands instantly.
"…This is actually kind of easy," Ochaco Uraraka said, relaxing slightly. "Only fifteen minutes left."
"It won't stay easy," Izuku said quietly. "Get ready."
His gaze locked onto two teams battling in the distance.
"Those two… they're the real threat."
"Enemies," Tokoyami added simply.
Katsuki Bakugo.
Shoto Todoroki.
"They're coming!"
Suddenly, the two teams broke off from their fight—and charged directly toward Izuku.
"Arrow Five!"
Five arrows fired in rapid succession—
But both teams blocked them.
"…As expected."
"Take off!"
Izuku activated the jet again, lifting his team into the air.
"Deku! You're not getting away this time!" Bakugo roared.
"Your points are mine," Todoroki added coldly.
"They look terrifying…" Izuku muttered, instinctively clutching his headband.
Get it together. That's not like you.
"Push them back first!"
"Arrow Barrage!!"
Another volley of arrows forced the two teams to retreat.
This is bad… I can only fire this kind of attack three or four more times before I burn out.
Five minutes left… anything can happen.
"Descending—reset formation!"
Izuku redirected them downward.
"Arrow!"
This time, there was no glowing arc—only a sharp, slicing sound.
The wind pressure alone shattered rocks beneath them.
They landed atop the highest remaining stone.
"No movement now. Tokoyami—track Bakugo and Todoroki!"
"Understood."
For a moment, the battlefield went quiet.
The two strongest teams vanished from sight.
"Where do you think you're looking, idiot?!"
"First place is mine!!"
Two voices exploded behind him.
Two overwhelming attacks followed.
"I've been waiting for you!"
Izuku's bow had already formed—dense, almost solid with energy.
The arrow trembled on the string, ready to fire.
"Arrow Slash!"
The instant it was released—
A violent shockwave blasted both attackers backward into the air.
"…TIME'S UP!!!"
The match ended.
Izuku Midoriya remained in first place.
His fingers were faintly purple from strain—but his face lit up with pure joy, like a child who had just been handed a long-awaited reward.
"We're number one!!!"
After the Match
After the event, Izuku greeted his classmates briefly before heading to Recovery Girl for treatment. Because of that, he missed most of the post-match chatter.
By the time he returned to the arena, it was nearly noon.
"…Still hurts," Izuku muttered, shaking his hand lightly.
"I really owe Recovery Girl…"
Just as he was about to head to lunch, someone grabbed him and pulled him into a side corridor.
"—Todoroki?"
Izuku blinked, slightly startled.
"Todoroki, what's going on? If we don't go now, we'll miss lunch…"
There was something off about him.
Not unlike Bakugo.
He's just as intense…
"That pressure earlier… you almost forced me to break my own vow," Todoroki said suddenly.
"…What?"
"Your power… it's very similar to All Might's."
Here it comes.
Izuku stiffened slightly.
"You… you're not All Might's illegitimate child, are you?"
Abort plan three.
"No! That's not—well—look, even if I deny it, you won't believe me, right?! But it's really not what you think!"
"'Not what I think,' huh? That still means there's a connection."
"…You do know who my father is, right?" Todoroki continued.
Yes, I do. But I really don't want to deal with this right now.
"Endeavor. The eternal Number Two Hero."
"If you've inherited something from All Might…"
"Then I'll defeat you—using only my right side."
He turned and walked away.
"I don't need your answers."
"Whatever you are… I'll surpass you."
Izuku watched his back silently.
Then, almost unconsciously, he spoke.
"I… have always relied on others."
"All Might… and someone else, too."
"Even just now—I only got first place because of their help."
He looked down at his hands.
"I got this far… because of the people who supported me."
For a moment, his mother's smile flashed in his mind.
"I want to become like All Might."
"To do that, I have to become the best."
"Maybe my reason isn't as noble as yours…"
"But I won't waste everything they've given me."
"I'll defeat you too."
Another faint memory surfaced in his mind—
A childhood promise.
No matter what… I'll become a hero and find you again.
"…Hah."
In the shadows of the corridor, Bakugo stood silently, having heard everything.
His expression darkened.
Preparing for the Next Event
After lunch, Izuku walked back toward the arena, thinking carefully.
"If I face Hitoshi Shinso…"
"I can't respond to him. If I don't speak, his Quirk won't activate."
"…But that goes against my instincts."
He scratched his head.
"His Quirk is seriously troublesome…"
The afternoon events—
The one-on-one combat rounds—
were about to begin.