The battle was about to begin, but unexpectedly Toru raised her hand.
"Midnight-sensei, may I say something?"
"What?" Nemuri Kayama frowned. "Come on, girl, I don't have all day!"
"Ah, no, sorry. I just wanted to thank Midnight-sensei for being our referee." Toru bowed respectfully. "Thank you."
"That's right!" Ochako's eyes widened and she quickly did the same. "Thank you very much!"
Nemuri was surprised that something like this had happened. The heroine couldn't help but smile as her bad mood began to fade. At least she could admit that Allen had good taste.
That doesn't mean she would give her beloved Allen to this pair of girls, but she could accept these two being close to him and getting along.
"Alright, girls. Are you ready?!~" Nemuri licked her lips and gave the signal. "Begin!"
Ochako took things seriously. She assumed a fighting stance; her posture and bearing looked well-trained, though not at the level of Itsuka or Ojiro.
"Ochako has gotten strong," Allen said as he watched her.
It was quite common for many students in the hero course to practice some martial arts to increase their strength when their Quirks weren't as offensive or versatile.
"Then me too!" Toru said, and the only visible part of her vanished(her suit, shoes, and gloves), making her completely invisible.
Ochako clenched her teeth and instinctively looked from side to side, trying to locate her. She quickly realized it was useless and closed her eyes.
Batman – She's going to rely on her hearing. Very smart.
Barbara – I'd do the same.
Diana – She was a little unsure about the pink-cheeked girl's abilities, but it seemed she had underestimated her. She had a warrior's spirit.
The audience fell silent. Everyone knew the initiative was Toru's—unless Ochako could hear her before she attacked.
"I think Uraraka will win," Itsuka said from Allen's left.
"Why do you think that?" Momo asked, sitting to Allen's right. "Uraraka-san's Quirk isn't very useful against Hagakure-san."
Itsuka nodded. "That's true, but I have confidence in her. A month ago, she asked me to teach her martial arts, and one of the things we practiced was trusting your other senses in a fight. The training was meant for low-light situations, like capturing villains at night—but who would've thought it would be useful against Hagakure?"
"No, I think Ochako is at a disadvantage." Allen said.
"What?"
"Why do you say that?"
Allen shook his head. "Don't you remember the initial rescue training?"
Back then, Toru had almost passed the test, but Kaina discovered her and told her that even if she was invisible, it didn't mean she could erase her presence.
Both girls exchanged glances and turned their attention back to the fight.
Ochako grew nervous. She couldn't hear Toru at all. 'Why?!'
"I'm sorry, Ochako-chan."
A fist struck Ochako's face, accompanied by an apology. Unable to defend herself, she fell and rolled across the ground.
Everyone was stunned. Had that cheerful, sweet girl who seemed incapable of hurting a fly just punched her classmate without mercy?
"Ugh, I let my guard down," Ochako muttered as she stood up and wiped the blood from her mouth before staring seriously at where Toru stood.
"I..."
Toru Hagakure knew she was weak. She knew she didn't stand out at anything. She knew she was at risk of being transferred to Class 1-B—and that last part scared her the most, because it would mean she wouldn't be with Allen and everyone else anymore.
"I'll get stronger too! That's why you can't hold back, Ochako-chan!"
Ochako's eyes widened before she took a deep breath, her gaze sharpening.
"Come on, Toru-chan!"
Allen smiled proudly. It was a pleasant surprise to see this pair, who had seemed weak, grow so much in both strength and willpower.
....
Toru stopped talking, reducing her presence to the limit once more. However, this time Ochako didn't panic and simply waited, keeping her body ready.
Then it happened...
A punch struck Ochako's other cheek.
"Not this time!"
Even with Toru's fist against her face, Ochako moved and counterattacked. This time, Ochako's fist struck Toru.
"Ah!"
"Ugh!"
Both girls were knocked down, but they immediately stood up and faced each other.
"Incredible! A counter! Seeing that she couldn't detect Toru Hagakure, Ochako Uraraka chose to attack at the moment she was attacked!" commented Present Mic.
"This is unexpected. Not just anyone can pull that off," added Shota Aizawa.
Toru attacked, this time with a kick to Ochako's stomach.
Ochako groaned in pain but managed not to fall. She grabbed Toru's leg and, using her own foot, swept the invisible girl's other leg, knocking her down. Once on the ground, Ochako sat on top of her and punched her in the face.
Before she could throw a second punch, Toru trapped Ochako's arm between her legs, applying pressure against her head.
"Ochako-chan... you're not the only one who's practiced martial arts..." Toru said. If she were visible, her face would have looked battered, but a drop of blood trickling from her mouth revealed she was hurt.
"Was it Allen-san?" Ochako asked while struggling against the hold that threatened to cut off her breathing.
"Yes, and what does it matter?!" Toru snapped, irritated by the question.
"Damn it!" Ochako felt anger rise within her, though she didn't know why. Slowly, she forced herself up with all her strength, fighting against the dizziness. Once on her feet, she slammed Toru hard against the ground.
"Ah!" Toru released Ochako as the air was knocked out of her lungs.
Ochako braced herself on one knee, trying to catch her breath. At the same time, Toru stood up, drops of blood running down her head, making it impossible for her to remain completely invisible.
"I'm speechless!" Present Mic shouted. "Neither of them is willing to give up!"
The audience was in shock. This battle didn't have flashy, destructive Quirks, but it was full of grit, and that undoubtedly moved the crowd, who began to cheer.
Ochako punched Toru again, and Toru struck back. Soon it turned into a street fight, both refusing to fall.
Nemuri, sensing that if this continued it would become dangerous, considered intervening—but Allen sent her a telepathic message.
'Let them fight...'
'Are you crazy? This is a competition. There's no need to beat each other to death!'
'Nemuri!' Allen smiled as his eyes flashed. 'Don't take this opportunity away from them!'
'Allen... fine,' Nemuri sighed before licking her lips. 'But this will cost you ❤️~'
'That's fine...' Allen chuckled before focusing back on the fight.
....
Toru grabbed Ochako's hair and kneed her in the nose.
Ochako was stunned by the blow, but she still managed to charge at Toru and knock her down. As she fell, Toru hit the back of her head and nearly lost consciousness, but she managed to stay awake.
Both girls rolled on the ground. Ochako, who ended up on top, tried to punch Toru, but Toru defended herself by grabbing Ochako's hands.
"Shouldn't we stop this fight?" Momo asked, frightened. This no longer looked like a friendly match.
"You can have an incredible Quirk," Allen said, drawing everyone's attention. "You can be a genius, have the best teacher in the world, be blessed by the heavens, or have cheating abilities."
Allen smiled with amusement and pride before standing up. "But there are things no lineage, talent, or destiny can give you—and those things have great value!"
Shoto Todoroki, who was nearby, opened his eyes slightly. Izuku Midoriya replaced his worry with surprise, and Katsuki Bakugo clicked his tongue and looked away—but there wasn't the usual displeasure toward Allen.
"Toru... Ochako... they truly are good girls," Allen said with appreciation.
He wanted to see this fight; he wanted to know if both would manage to exceed their limits, and beyond that, he was happy to see heroines with backbone.
But... at that moment something happened.
The atmosphere turned cold and terrifying at the same time. A spatial rift appeared behind Ochako, who was on top of Toru, struggling.
Both girls froze. Their faces went pale, their hearts tightened, their breathing stopped.
"I see... so it's them?" said a deep, mocking voice—a voice that sent chills down veteran and professional heroes alike.
Then a hand passed through that rift, and the moment it did, an intense sense of danger swept through the stadium, silencing the cheers and freezing everyone's blood.
It was as if Fear, Despair, and Death had taken shape and manifested. There was something wrong on the other side of that rift, something that should never cross over.
Ochako couldn't breathe. She knew it—she recognized this person, if he could even be called that. She knew she had to run, but her body wouldn't move.
All she could do was watch as a hand reached toward her, and she knew that the moment it touched her, it would be the end.
"Ochako-chan!" Toru hugged Ochako and turned, placing herself in front of that monster instead.
Ochako reacted, but she couldn't speak as crystal drops fell onto her cheeks. They were Toru's tears. It was true—she was scared, she didn't want to die, but her body had reacted on its own.
"Wonderful, just as you said. In death, people reveal their true nature, ALLEN WALK!—"
A fist slammed into All For One's face, but he didn't move back.
"A..."
Both girls opened their eyes wide when they saw who had appeared. It wasn't All Might, it wasn't one of the professional heroes—it was the boy they secretly admired.
"Allen-san!" Ochako shouted, tears of emotion streaming down her face.
"Allen!" Toru began to cry as her brief moment of courage faded away.
"You did well," Allen smiled at both of them. Then his expression turned cold as he looked at All For One. "How dare you interrupt their fight, All For One!"
The sky darkened as a massive lightning storm threatened to fall. At the same time, the ground beneath Allen cracked, and bolts of electricity surged from his body.
"Haha, I knew you would come, But I was still surprised that you reacted even faster than All Might! Were you waiting for me?~ It's an honor!"
All For One's arm was filled with multiple Quirks as it became wrapped in a dark aura.
"I won't let you take anything!"
In a fraction of a second, Allen summoned the axe named Stormbreaker and attacked.
All For One did the same. Before their attacks collided, they generated enormous pressure around them.
Allen's body released several lightning so powerful that when it struck the arena floor, it shattered it, while All For One unleashed an aura that destroyed everything behind him.
It almost seemed that the moment they clashed, the end of the world would begin.
However, no one was able to see the result of that clash because, out of nowhere, four steel walls rose around the arena, each as thick as a nuclear bunker's walls.
This prevented anyone from approaching. They could only hear the impact between All For One and Allen and see lightning and darkness rising into the sky above the metal barriers.
Of course, this also revealed who was responsible. There was a man on top of the wall. He was tall and muscular with dark red hair, wearing a white trench coat, his most distinctive feature being his metal mask.
"Ah... how marvelous." Sparks flashed from the man's feet as the wall continued to grow, making him laugh. "With this power! I—"
"Impossible!" David Shield rose from his seat. "Why are you here?! Wolfram!"
The entire stadium began to panic until a figure shot forward.
It was none other than All Might!
His mere presence was like a blazing sun that dispelled much of the darkness just by being there.
With a furious expression, All Might attacked Wolfram, but his true target was All For One.
"Everything is fine! Because I am here!—"
All Might's words were cut short when he was struck by a punch that sent him crashing to the ground.
Everyone was shocked again.
That was All Might, the symbol of peace, the number one hero, the one who always won with a smile, no matter who the enemy was! Could it be that All Might had been knocked down with a single blow?!
"Sorry, I won't let you, impostor!"
"Who are you?!" All Might looked up, his eyes widening in shock. Standing in the sky was a man with an appearance similar to his.
The man smiled arrogantly. "Call me Dark Might, impostor!"
"...!"
....
In the stands, Kaina reacted as well and in an instant aimed her rifle at the metal walls. She didn't care if she had to kill that Wolfram—she was going to reach Allen.
"Bastards!"
At this moment, there were no words enough to express the rage she felt, but beyond that, her heart was on edge knowing Allen was facing All For One alone.
"Lady Nagant... do not interfere."
Kaina froze. A man with long white hair appeared at her side. He wore a white suit, and his face was covered with a mask fitted with tubes. Without another warning, he pointed five fingers at Kaina, from which purple lasers shot out.
"...!"
By instinct, she shielded herself with her rifle, but even so, she was struck, the attack piercing through her shoulder.
The other teachers reacted, attacking the man, but a wind barrier appeared and blocked all their attacks.
"You're in the way..." the man said, sending chills through everyone, and soon the UA teachers' platform exploded.
....
"Bastards, how dare you be arrogant enough to come here?!"
Endeavor, as the number two hero, considered it an insult that these villains would attack with him present.
Without hesitation, he advanced, but on the way he saw a blue-skinned man floating.
"Get lost!" He immediately identified him as a villain and wrapped his fist in flames. "...?!"
However, his eyes widened when he realized that somehow the one who had been hit was himself.
Endeavor didn't understand. He was the one who hit him, so why was he hurt?
"..." As for the blue man, he didn't say a single word. It was as if he were a mindless zombie, but he was definitely dangerous.
....
"Look at this, Kurogiri! All the villains Sensei brought are really strong!~" Shigaraki said from the stands. Beside him were two statues of heroes slowly turning to dust.
The rest of the people around them were running away in desperation.
"Indeed..." Kurogiri murmured before looking at Shigaraki. "Aren't you going to intervene?"
"Hm?" Shigaraki looked toward the arena. The teachers were already occupied, but there were many more professional heroes, including several from the top ten. "Let's leave those to Muscular and the long-nosed guy..."
Shigaraki's gaze shifted toward the seating area of the hero classes.
"I have a better idea to teach that bastard who insulted Sensei a lifelong lesson!~"
No one could have anticipated it. Out of nowhere, the UA Sports Festival was filled with villains, all of them so dangerous that they were capable of even facing All Might. Meanwhile, the true monster was trapped inside the arena with Allen, and no one knew what was happening inside.