_____[POV: Third person]_____
Before reincarnation, Moldav was just an ordinary man, an extreme NEET. His world was confined to four walls covered in anime posters and shelves filled with figures. The only light illuminating his existence was the blue glow of his monitor, where he spent hours posting nonsense on the internet and making questionable posts about his obsessions.
He didn't see himself as a degenerate. To him, his obsession was a refuge, a shelter that protected him from the emptiness of his life. In his darkest moments, it was a loli vtuber who pulled him out of depression, adding a splash of color to his gray world. At first, he grew fond of her, and then... lolis in general. What began as admiration turned into a sick obsession, something that dominated every thought, every desire, every moment of his existence.
His greatest dream came true when he ordered a life-sized statue of his beloved Gawr Gura. The day it arrived was the pinnacle of his existence. He opened the box with reverence, admiring the short, detailed, childlike figure.
"Perfect…" he murmured, bending down to kiss the sculpture. But the moment his lips touched the cold surface, the statue glowed intensely before exploding, ending his life in a ridiculous manner.
And in the next instant, he stood before God.
"Your death was a mistake caused by another god," the entity explained in a calm voice. "As compensation, I will grant you a new life in another world."
"Another world?! Am I being reincarnated into an isekai?" Moldav almost forgot the humiliation of his death. "So... can I choose my powers? I want to be a Saiyan! No, wait, I want to be as strong as Rimuru! No, even better, the ultimate cheat system!"
"Sorry, but unfortunately, you won't be able to choose your powers," God interrupted. "I've already decided. You'll have a system."
"But what kind of system? Does it give me free powers?"
"You'll find out on your own." And without another word, God cast him into the void of reincarnation.
When he awoke, he was in a new body, in a new world. But his journey was nothing like he had dreamed.
The system he was given wasn't generous. It was cruel. Copying powers required impossible methods. He reincarnated decades before the main plot of *My Hero Academia*, and worse, in another country. His progress was slow, painful. Other reincarnated individuals hunted each other mercilessly. He had to fight for every small advancement, devising complex strategies, stealing, deceiving, and even killing. But no matter how hard he tried, it was never enough. There was always someone stronger. Always an insurmountable barrier. And then, one day, he met his end, torn apart by someone he could only describe as a monster.
Or so it should have been.
Moldav opened his eyes, gasping, his chest rising and falling frantically. The ground was rocky and gray. In front of him, the golden figure of Ryuji watched him with an emotionless gaze.
"You're finally awake," Ryuji said.
Moldav tried to get up, but something was wrong. He tried to activate his powers, to fly away, to access the system. Nothing.
"It's useless," Ryuji said, crossing his arms. "You no longer have powers. Not even your system."
Panic overtook Moldav. He ran, trying to escape. He tried to call the system, screamed for help, but nothing responded. His desperation was interrupted by a golden blur in front of him. Ryuji was already there. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
A shockwave swept through the area. Moldav was torn into a thousand pieces.
Silence returned. But then, something impossible happened. His body was restored. The pain still pulsed through his flesh as he fell to his knees.
"Normally, I'd read your mind," Ryuji commented, crouching to his level. "But after seeing what was in that Kela's head and regretting it, I decided I prefer the old-fashioned way. Now, tell me. What organization do you belong to? How many reincarnated are there? What do you want with Japan, like all the others?"
"Please... don't kill me..." Moldav begged, his voice faltering.
"Wrong answer." Ryuji snapped his fingers again.
The shockwave obliterated him once more.
And then, he was brought back.
"Let's try again. What's your organization? How many are there? What do you want?" Ryuji asked impatiently.
"I-I'm just a pawn! I don't know anything!" Moldav stammered.
Snap.
Death.
Return.
"Try again."
"I-I can tell you! Just give me some tim—"
Snap.
Death.
Return.
"P-Please stop! I'll do anything! I swear! I'll serve you now!"
"Ah, but I already have better servants."
Snap.
Death.
Return.
The torture continued. Moldav was killed and resurrected 76 times. Each time, his mind shattered further. With each death, his identity fragmented. Fear consumed every piece of his soul. When he awoke for the last time, he curled up in a fetal position, trembling, huddled in his own vomit, sobbing like a helpless child.
Ryuji sighed, crossing his arms.
"This is going to take too much of my time... I think it's better to let Lucifer handle this."
He walked away, leaving the wretched Moldav trembling on the ground. He was nothing more than a fragment of what he once was. Hope, ambition, desire... all had faded. And in that moment, he realized he was no longer a protagonist. Just a mistake that needed to be erased.
----------------------------------------
The stands were buzzing with excitement. Class 1-A was animatedly discussing the upcoming match. The big screen displayed the faces of the two competitors: Ryuji versus Midoriya. It was a showdown that promised to be, at the very least, interesting.
"I'll be honest, I like Midoriya and all, but he doesn't stand a chance," commented Kaminari, scratching his head and sighing.
"Yeah... He might have planned something, but you can't really plan against someone who can obliterate you in the blink of an eye," said Jirou, crossing her arms as she watched the big screen. "But since it's Smiling Ryuji in the ring, maybe he'll hold back against Midoriya."
"Even when he's holding back, it's still terrifying," Tokoyami remarked seriously.
"It's going to be fun either way!" exclaimed Mina, clapping her hands. "Who knows, maybe Ryuji will surprise us!"
Meanwhile, "Smiling Ryuji" was calmly walking through the halls to reach the arena. Lucifer, maintaining his impeccable facade, felt intrigued to be experiencing the plot firsthand. His disguise was perfect, each step echoing with confidence through the halls of U.A.
But before he could proceed, a fiery obstacle appeared in his path. Endeavour.
The hero was wearing a neck brace, clearly the result of a recent injury. His furious and stern gaze pierced through Lucifer like blades of fire.
Lucifer, maintaining the calm and polite demeanor of his master, smiled and slightly inclined his head. "Oh, Mr. Endeavour, can I help you? You seem a bit... uncomfortable."
"Stop playing around, you brat," growled the hero. "I know exactly what you did."
Lucifer blinked, feigning confusion. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
The hero clenched his fists, his muscles tense with irritation, but he took a deep breath, trying to control himself. "You're strong. And you'll most likely face my son in the final. Shoto is someone who will surpass even All Might."
Lucifer listened with interest but simply smiled enigmatically.
Endeavour turned to leave but cast one last glance over his shoulder. "You're nothing but a stepping stone for my son to show the true power he inherited from me."
Lucifer waited until the hero disappeared down the hall before chuckling softly. "It's really interesting to experience the plot up close..."
Before he could continue, a familiar presence touched his mind.
[Lucifer.] Ryuji's voice echoed in his mind through the telepathic connection.
[Master,] Lucifer responded immediately, instinctively straightening up.
[I've dealt with the reincarnateds. I restored the city to a certain extent, leaving only some signs of vandalism to avoid making it look like an obvious miracle. And before you say anything, it wasn't your fault. I wanted to see exactly what kind of rats they were hiding in the nest up until now.]
Lucifer bowed his head in respect. [Even so, it was my mistake for not handling the situation properly, Supreme One.]
[I already told you it wasn't your fault. But speaking of which, two of the reincarnated will be left with you. I want you to extract information manually. I tried reading the woman's mind and... I regretted it. We'll have to resort to the traditional method.]
Lucifer smiled darkly. [It will be my pleasure.]
[Good. You can return. Thanks for holding the fort.]
Lucifer gave a slight bow, even though he knew Ryuji couldn't see him. [It was a fun experience, Master.]
A portal opened in front of him. Before stepping through, Lucifer assumed his true form. With one last look at the halls of U.A., he disappeared into the bright rift.
On the other side, Ryuji stepped out of the portal, cracking his shoulders. Before he closed it, Lucifer gave one last warning.
"Your match is about to start, Master. You'd better hurry."
The portal closed.
Ryuji sighed and ran a hand over his face. But before he could take another step, a throbbing headache hit him. He leaned against the wall with one hand, gritting his teeth.
"They're becoming more frequent..."
Taking a deep breath, he focused and pushed the pain to the back of his mind. He straightened up and continued on his way to the arena.
----------------------------------------
"AND NOW, MY DEAR LISTENERS, GET READY FOR ANOTHER SHOWDOWN THAT WILL SURELY GO DOWN IN HISTORY! ON ONE SIDE, THE YOUNG GENIUS WITHOUT A QUIRK, BUT WITH A MIND THAT SURPASSES LIMITS! IZUKU MIDORIYA!"
The crowd responded with applause and some cheers of encouragement as Izuku calmly stepped into the arena. He was already used to dealing with crowds, after all, he had participated in many lectures and events even when he was just 10 years old.
"AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, HE WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, THE CURRENT CROWD FAVORITE, OUR IRREVERENT, UNPREDICTABLE, AND UNSTOPPABLE... RYUJI FUGIMOTO!"
This time, the cheers were more intense, almost deafening. Ryuji entered the arena with his usual lazy stride, hands in his pockets and an indifferent expression, as if he were only there because he had to be.
From the commentator's booth, Present Mic turned to his friend and colleague, Eraserhead, with an excited smile.
"So, Eraser! What's your take on this match?! Any predictions?!"
Aizawa looked at the two combatants, blinking slowly before letting out a tired sigh.
"The balance rate just went to hell."
Present Mic choked mid-announcement and coughed, trying to maintain his composure before letting out a nervous laugh.
"Uh... What my esteemed friend means is that, despite the overwhelmingly unfavorable odds, our young Midoriya still has a chance, even if it's a small one!"
Meanwhile, Izuku, already standing in the arena, sighed. "I can hear you, you know..." he murmured to himself, trying to ignore the commentary from the booth.
He knew the truth. His chances of winning were practically nonexistent. 0.000000001%. But... since his friend was in his other personality, that went up to 0.000001%. Still negligible, but not zero.
Then, he looked at Ryuji. His posture, the carefree expression... Izuku immediately understood.
"...He's back to normal."
Closing his eyes, Izuku pressed his lips together tightly, trying to maintain his composure. But in the next instant, a smile formed. Not a confident or determined smile, but one of acceptance. He was cooked.
"Begin!"
And in the next instant, Ryuji disappeared.
Before Izuku could react, a hand appeared in his field of vision.
*SFX: SLAP!*
The impact of the slap echoed through the arena. Izuku's body was flung to the side like a ragdoll, knocked out instantly before he even hit the ground.
Silence.
The entire stadium held its breath, minds trying to process what had just happened. In the commentator's booth, Present Mic couldn't even react immediately.
In the arena, Ryuji looked down at his unconscious friend on the ground. He sighed and scratched the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry, man. I just wanted to blow off some steam."
And with that, the fastest match in the history of the U.A. Sports Festival ended with Ryuji Fugimoto's overwhelming victory.
----------------------------------------
Ryuji walked alongside Izuku, who was holding his sore cheek, now wrapped in an improvised bandage. He glanced sideways at his friend, his expression a mix of irritation and resignation.
"You could have at least healed me, you know?" Izuku complained, pressing his fingers against the bandage.
Ryuji huffed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he looked straight ahead.
"Something like that isn't even worth healing," he said nonchalantly. "Besides, you were the one who said you'd kick my ass at the festival. At least now you have a souvenir of it."
Izuku rolled his eyes but couldn't help a wry smile.
"...Fair enough."
As they reached the stands, the two were quickly greeted by Class 1-A. The entire group seemed to still be processing the fastest fight of the festival, each reacting in their own way.
"Dude, that wasn't even a fight!" Kaminari exclaimed, laughing.
"Midoriya, are you okay?!" Uraraka rushed over to check on her friend, followed by Iida, who was already gesturing frantically.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine... just my face feels numb," Izuku replied, exhausted.
Meanwhile, Kaminari threw an arm around Ryuji's neck, pulling him into a casual hug.
"Man, you know... I kinda liked Smiling Ryuji better. I think we could get used to him instead of the old Ryuji," he said, laughing.
Izuku immediately froze upon hearing this.
"Kaminari..." he tried to warn him, but it was too late.
Ryuji narrowed his eyes, slowly turning his head toward Kaminari.
"What?"
"Huh?" Kaminari blinked, confused.
"What the hell are you talking about with 'Smiling Ryuji'? And more importantly, get your arm off me."
Kaminari immediately backed off, laughing nervously, and the whole class realized at once: the old Ryuji was back.
"Whoa, looks like Ryuji's back," Sero commented, scratching the back of his neck.
"We were already missing your grumpy self," Kirishima laughed, pulling Ryuji into a friendly hug, ignoring the annoyed look on his friend's face at being hugged again.
"Please, let go," Ryuji said, without much enthusiasm.
"Nope."
"Let go."
"Nope."
"..."
"..."
"Let go before I throw you into the lower stands."
"Whoa, already let go!" Kirishima laughed, raising his hands in surrender.
Mina, on the other hand, seemed genuinely moved.
"You know you can count on us, right?" she said with a sincere smile. "Like, if you have to deal with these issues, you don't have to carry it all alone."
Ryuji raised an eyebrow, his mind immediately going to Lucifer.
"That damn guy did something again."
He was going to have a serious talk with his first servant later.
His thoughts were interrupted when Hagakure joined the group.
"Uhm... Ryuji, welcome back!" she said timidly. "You probably don't remember anything, but don't worry! We'll help you fill in the gaps."
Ryuji gave a wry smile.
"Appreciate the thought..."
He was clearly going to have to have another talk with Lucifer later.
But his thoughts were interrupted by Present Mic's announcement:
"AND NOW, OUR SECOND QUARTERFINAL MATCH! KUROHANA NEMURI VERSUS MOMO YAOYOROZU!"
The battle began, and it quickly became clear that Nemuri had the upper hand.
Her strikes were fluid, agile, yet primal and instinctive. Like a cat playing with a mouse.
Momo tried to analyze her movements, but it was like trying to predict a feline in action. Nemuri didn't follow a fixed pattern.
Izuku watched with sharp eyes.
"...Momo's starting to fall apart."
"What?" Jirou asked.
"Psychological pressure. She can't read her opponent's movements, so she's starting to hesitate and lose focus..."
On the battlefield, Momo, in a desperate move, created a net with her Quirk and threw it at Nemuri.
But the cat-girl dodged it easily before lunging at Momo.
Momo managed to raise a shield in time, blocking the powerful kick, but she was clearly out of breath.
That's when Nemuri stopped attacking.
Momo took the opportunity to regroup. But then—
"Yaoyorozu Momo is out of bounds!" Midnight announced.
Momo looked down and realized her feet were outside the arena's boundaries.
"AND THE WINNER IS KUROHANA NEMURI FROM GENERAL STUDIES!"
In the stands, Ryuji watched everything with a sharp gaze.
"She's not a reincarnate... I already confirmed that during the cavalry battle by reading her mind. But I also don't remember her in the canon. Could she be a variable from the butterfly effect...?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"The canon is already all fucked up anyway."
After Kurohana Nemuri's victory over Momo Yaoyorozu, the next quarterfinal matches unfolded quickly.
Shoto Todoroki vs Tenya Iida
The match began with Iida trying to use his speed to keep Todoroki on the defensive. The engines in his legs roared as he circled Todoroki, attacking from different angles.
"This could be problematic for Iida if he's not careful," Izuku murmured, analyzing the fight. "Todoroki could corner him by freezing the entire arena if he gets the chance..."
Todoroki, as expected, began covering the field with ice, forcing Iida to plant his feet firmly.
Then, Iida used his trump card: Recipro Turbo.
Iida appeared beside Todoroki in the blink of an eye, delivering a powerful kick that sent Todoroki flying.
"What?!" Kaminari's eyes widened. "He's even faster now!"
Todoroki managed to create an ice wall to stop himself and stay within the arena. But Iida's move was enough to prevent Todoroki from counterattacking immediately.
Unfortunately for Iida, his engines and legs froze seconds after Todoroki took action, leaving him unable to move. With a quick advance, Todoroki raised a massive ice barrier, completely immobilizing Iida.
"WINNER: SHOTO TODOROKI!"
The class applauded as Iida was freed from the ice.
"You were amazing, Iida!" Uraraka said, smiling.
"I'll do better next time..." Iida assured, still upbeat despite the loss.
Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu vs Ochaco Uraraka
As soon as the match began, Tetsutetsu charged forward with his steel fists, confident that Uraraka couldn't do anything against his durability. But Uraraka dodged his attacks until she found an opening. In an instant, her fingers touched Tetsutetsu.
"Crap."
The metallic boy cursed as he began to float.
"Now I just have to push you out of bounds."
And so she did.
With a well-calculated push, Uraraka sent Tetsutetsu out of the arena.
"WINNER: OCHACO URARAKA!"
"She did the same thing she did to Kirishima!" Sero laughed.
"Hey! No need to rub it in, man."
After a few breaks, the semifinals began.
"FIRST SEMIFINAL MATCH: RYUJI FUGIMOTO VS KUROHANA NEMURI!"
As soon as the two entered the arena, Ryuji looked at the cat-girl with curiosity.
Nemuri, on the other hand, couldn't hide the trembling in her body.
Her animal instincts were screaming: DANGER. DANGER. DANGER.
Sweat dripped down her forehead as she tried to focus, but every cell in her body screamed that she shouldn't fight this man.
Ryuji noticed immediately.
"...So? Are you going to attack first, or should I start?"
Nemuri bit her lip.
"...N-Nyan, I... I give up"
The stadium fell silent.
"What?! My bet!" Present Mic nearly spat out his microphone.
"She give up?!" Kaminari's eyes widened.
Ryuji sighed, running a hand over his face.
"Did I do something?"
Nemuri just shook her head frantically.
"N-No! I just... I don't want to fight you!"
The audience murmured, surprised by the instant give up. Midnight confirmed the decision, announcing:
"WINNER: RYUJI FUGIMOTO!"
Ryuji watched as Nemuri quickly left the arena, not daring to look at him again.
He returned to the stands, where he was met with shocked looks.
"You didn't even have to move," Sero commented.
"Uh... is this a record for the shortest match in the festival?" Ashido asked, joking.
Izuku analyzed Nemuri, who still seemed shaken. "It looks like she was really scared to fight you..."
"Am I really that scary?" Ryuji murmured to himself.
But he already knew the answer.
"SECOND AND FINAL SEMIFINAL MATCH: SHOTO TODOROKI VS OCHACO URARAKA"
Uraraka quickly started her strategy, trying to avoid the ground to prevent being frozen.
"She's floating to avoid the ice!" Hagakure observed.
Todoroki, however, didn't take long to adapt. Creating a vertical ice chain, he managed to reach Uraraka's leg, trapping it in his ice.
"WINNER: SHOTO TODOROKI!"
Uraraka was freed from the ice, sighing.
"Darn... it almost worked."
"You fought well," Todoroki said, genuinely impressed that she had lasted so long.
Now, the finalists were set.
**Ryuji Fugimoto vs Shoto Todoroki.**
Ryuji let out a long sigh.
"...Alright, let's see what he's got."
----------------------------------------
The crowd roared in excitement, the anxiety reaching absurd levels. In the seats, Josei, Rosa, and Aiko were focused on the arena, fervently cheering for Ryuji. While Rosa and Aiko screamed like crazed fans, Josei tried to maintain her composure, visibly embarrassed by the two's exaggerated enthusiasm.
"Let's go, Ryuji! Beat him up, mi milagro!" — Rosa shouted, mixing Spanish in her excitement.
"My little boy will shine as always! Show them what you're made of!" Aiko clasped her hands and smiled, her eyes gleaming with maternal pride.
Josei sighed, burying her face in her hands.
"These two… are impossible…"
In the center of the arena, Present Mic was on the verge of collapsing from sheer excitement.
"AND HERE WE ARE AT THE GRAND FINALE OF THE U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL!" He announced, his amplified voice vibrating throughout the stadium. "On one side, the young prodigy of ice and fire, the warrior with a heart of steel… SHOOOTO TODOROKIIII!!!"
The crowd erupted in applause.
"AND ON THE OTHER SIDE… THE LEGEND IN THE MAKING, THE MEDIA'S FAVORITE, THE GOLDEN BOY… RYUUUJIII FUGIMOTOOOOOOO!!!"
The roar of the crowd was deafening.
Todoroki and Ryuji stepped into the arena, facing each other. Todoroki's gaze was serious, focused, but deep down, he was trying to ignore the crushing weight he felt. He had seen Ryuji's power before, witnessed what he was capable of. Deep down, he knew the fight was an impossible climb. But he had to try.
In the 1-A stands, the students murmured among themselves.
"This showdown is going to be on another level." Kaminari said, feeling a shiver of anticipation.
"Yes, but…" Iida adjusted his glasses and looked at Midoriya. "What do you think, Midoriya? Who has a better chance of winning?"
Izuku crossed his arms, his expression serious.
"It's not about 'who will win.' That's already decided."
"What?"
"Ryuji will win, no doubt." Izuku said bluntly. "The real question is… how long will Todoroki last?"
The group fell silent, pondering Izuku's words.
But before they could comment, a loud shout came from the stands above them.
"GO, RYUUJIIIII! YOU'RE MY ANGEEEEELLL!!!" Ibara screamed, the vines of her quirk trembling with excitement.
The 1-A class turned their heads in unison to stare at her.
"Uhh… that was intense." — Sato murmured.
But before they could comment, Hagakure narrowed her eyes, her invisible silhouette taking on a challenging stance.
"RYUJI, I'M ROOTING FOR YOU EVEN MORE THAN HER!"
She shouted louder than Ibara, sparking a competition between the two, who were now determined to cheer louder than the other.
"What's going on here…?" Ojiro blinked, confused.
"Female rivalry." Jirou replied, uninterested.
Izuku sighed.
"Let's focus on the fight, please?"
In the arena, Todoroki tried to focus. He needed to believe he had a chance. Even if it was minimal.
But as he thought, he found himself facing an insurmountable mountain.
He had seen Ryuji's strength at the U.S.J. He knew about the hole in the stratosphere. He remembered how Ryuji crushed enemies like they were ants.
…But he refused to accept it.
"I can't lose. I need to prove… I need to show him that I'm more than his fire. I don't need that side to win."
He narrowed his eyes, staring at Ryuji.
"I will beat him."
But as soon as he blinked, Ryuji disappeared from his sight and in the next instant was face to face with him. Just inches away. (A/N: Just like Saitama did with Flashy Flash.)
"…Hi."
Todoroki froze (literally and figuratively). His body reacted on instinct, releasing a massive burst of ice, forming a gigantic pillar that covered half the stadium.
The crowd held their breath.
Todoroki gasped.
"That… was dangerous."
He felt a cold sweat drip down his neck. If he hadn't reacted in time, Ryuji would have taken him down instantly.
Sero, in the stands, trembled.
"M-my God… I swear I'm not cold, but… I'm shaking."
"Relax, Sero." Kirishima tried to comfort him. "Ryuji's survived this before. He probably doesn't even feel the cold."
It was at that moment that a golden ray tore through the ice.
A blinding flash cut through the air, slicing through the pillar like it was paper. The ice shattered into thousands of fragments, some flying toward the audience. But before they could fall…
Everything stopped.
The pieces of ice floated in the air, enveloped in a golden aura.
In the center of the chaos, Ryuji walked calmly, unharmed, as if nothing had happened.
The crowd was speechless.
"He didn't even try to dodge…?" Todoroki whispered, incredulous.
He clenched his teeth and attacked again. More ice, more force, more intensity.
But it was all useless.
Ryuji simply walked forward, each freezing blast being shattered by his aura.
"He's not even trying…"
Todoroki tried to freeze his feet, but Ryuji broke the ice and kept walking.
He tried to intensify his attack, but the right side of his body was already starting to freeze from overusing his ice.
"Damn it…!" He growled, unleashing a colossal frost.
Ryuji sighed.
He just twisted his finger.
A massive gust of air exploded against Todoroki.
The impact sent him flying like a ragdoll. He was almost thrown out of the arena, but quickly created a wall of ice behind him, preventing his elimination.
Gasping, his eyes were filled with frustration.
He stood up, trembling with anger.
"Is this a joke to you?!" Todoroki shouted, his chest heaving.
Ryuji just looked at him.
"Huh?"
"Are you even taking this seriously?! Are you even taking me seriously?!" Todoroki clenched his fists. "Am I just a joke to you?! Does my will mean nothing?!"
Ryuji tilted his head.
"I could ask the same…"
Todoroki blinked, confused.
"What?"
"You're not using your left side. That means you're not taking this fight seriously." Ryuji crossed his arms. — "If you're not taking it seriously, why the hell should I?"
Todoroki felt a tightness in his chest.
"My… My left side has nothing to do with this fight!"
Ryuji gave a cynical smile.
"Then tell me… why?"
Todoroki opened his mouth. But he couldn't answer.
Ryuji sighed.
"In the end, it doesn't matter. Your quirk is yours, use it however you want." He started walking forward. "But if you really want to be a hero, you need to overcome this soon. Because people won't wait for you to resolve your trauma in the middle of a crisis."
Todoroki's eyes widened.
His breathing grew heavy.
Ryuji's words… hurt, but they were true.
Was all his effort nothing more than a selfish ambition, like his father's? The question weighed heavily on his heart, but Ryuji pressed on, direct and relentless:
"Do you really want to be a hero?"
Silence filled the arena for a moment before the answer surfaced in his mind. He remembered his mother, her gentle words, and the dream that had always been his own, not his father's. Then, as if something inside him finally awakened, flames began to crackle on his left side. Gradually, they grew more intense, more alive, until they enveloped his body in a blazing glow.
Todoroki looked up, determined.
"Yes... I want to be a hero!"
The arena erupted in excitement. In the stands, Class 1-A was stunned by what they were witnessing.
"HE USED THE FLAMES!" Kaminari's eyes widened.
Izuku already had his notebook in hand, scribbling furiously.
"Amazing... he finally used his quirk to its fullest!"
The heat radiating from this newfound awakening began to melt the ice around him, creating a thick mist over the field.
In the upper seats, a roar of pride echoed.
"THAT'S IT, SHOTO!" Endeavor bellowed, his eyes gleaming with pride. "SHOW THEM YOUR FATHER'S IMAGE TO THE NEW GENERATION! SHOW THEM THE POWER YOU INHERITED FROM ME!"
But Todoroki didn't hear him. He didn't need to. His eyes were fixed solely on Ryuji.
"Thank you," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.
Ryuji simply smiled.
The ground beneath Todoroki's feet froze at an absurd speed, the ice spreading toward Ryuji like a devastating wave. But with a simple wave of his hand, Ryuji dissipated the frost, reducing it to fragments that hung in the air before joining the rest of the debris suspended by his telekinesis.
But Todoroki didn't stop. The ice continued to advance with destructive force while his left side burned fiercely. The contrast was insane—the environment around them oscillated between a brutal winter and a blazing inferno.
Ryuji laughed, the golden aura around him growing. He raised a hand and twisted a finger in the air, ready to respond to the attack with his own.
It was then that Cementoss and Midnight realized the fight had reached a dangerous point.
"We need to stop this!" Cementoss exclaimed, quickly raising concrete barriers.
Midnight released her sleep-inducing mist, trying to contain the two.
Todoroki, sensing the urgency of the moment, gathered everything he had. The flames in his left hand roared, and he unleashed a colossal jet of fire.
At the same time, Ryuji released a razor-sharp blast of wind with just a twist of his finger.
The attacks collided in a deafening explosion. The concrete barriers were obliterated like paper, and a gigantic blast swept through the stadium, creating a gust of air that nearly knocked the spectators from their seats.
For a few moments, everything fell silent.
Then, slowly, the dust began to settle, revealing a detail many hadn't noticed—the debris from the explosion was suspended in the air, enveloped in a familiar golden aura. Without a doubt, it would have hit the audience if not for Ryuji.
Visibility returned little by little.
At the center of the arena, unharmed and without having taken a single step, stood Ryuji. His shirt was burned halfway, and his pants had a few burn holes, but his gaze remained the same as it had been from the start.
On the other side, against the stadium wall, out of bounds, Todoroki stood—but only for a second. His strength left him, and he collapsed unconscious.
Silence reigned.
Until Present Mic cleared his throat and shouted:
"RYUUUUJIIII FUGIMOTOOOOOO IS THE WINNER!!!"
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(A/N: 5k words, this is currently the longest chapter I've ever written. I simply didn't want to make a part 6 of the festival, so I decided to put everything in this chapter, resulting in me spending the whole night writing it until dawn. I didn't sleep at all, but I don't regret it, it was fun writing this chapter. But unfortunately I'll have to go to sleep now, I'll leave it here. I'll wait for you in the next update!)