Chapter 25: Battle Training Begins!
Language class, taught by the Pro-Hero Present Mic, had just ended. The Pro-Hero assigned homework to all the students, instructing they submit their work in two days. After addressing some of Yaoyorozu's questions, the Pro-Hero bid them farewell for the day and left the classroom.
The moment the teacher was gone, the class erupted into a frenzy. The twenty students within the classroom buzzed with animated chatter. It was the end of the week, and that meant their first ever Battle Training period.
A week since the beginning of U.A., everyone in the class had formed small groups. One group consisted of Ashido, Hagakure, Kirishima, Sero, and Sato. Another included Tokoyami, Ojiro, Reiko, Koda, and Shoji. Naturally, Izuku and Iida had unknowingly formed a group of their own. This group also included Yaoyorozu, Ochako, Asui, Jirou, and Kaminari.
These groupings didn't mean the students didn't interact with each other. On the contrary, they were very comfortable with one another and often shared meals together in the cafeteria. The groups had formed organically, based on shared interests, personalities, and mutual liking. For instance, Ashido and Kirishima were from the same school, their friendship blossoming from shared experiences and memories. Jirou and Kaminari bonded over their love for music, though Jirou often lamented Kaminari's terrible taste.
Jirou and Kaminari joined Izuku's group because Izuku had saved them both during the Entrance Exam. Ochako and Asui, apparently, had been saved by Iida during the same event. Yaoyorozu had been pulled into the group by a very enthusiastic Ochako.
The groups were an interesting observation for some of the teachers, especially Aizawa and Midnight.
Aizawa noticed how most of the studious and nerdy students (Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, and Iida) had gravitated towards each other, while the more outgoing ones (Ashido, Kirishima, and Sero) had formed their own circle. The more 'mysterious' ones had banded together, and he hoped this wouldn't create a barrier between the students.
Midnight, on the other hand, was particularly interested in a few students: Izuku and Yaoyorozu, as well as Ashido and Kirishima, and Jirou and Kaminari. She had a fondness for young love stories, especially those that bloomed in High School, and she already sensed something developing between Izuku and Yaoyorozu, Ashido and Kirishima, and Jirou and Kaminari. She began subtly facilitating their interactions, often sending these pairs to collect her booklets or answer sheets that she 'accidently' forgot in her office.
She just hoped that none of them turned out to be like one of the girls in Class 3-A, whom she had tried to pair with another boy in her class only to discover she wasn't interested in men. She had nothing against lesbians, being a bisexual herself, but it would pain her most if one of the boy's got rejected because of a reason like that. Even though her interest was drawn in by these select students, it didn't mean she put any less effort into helping the others. She did sometimes wonder why Kaminari and Minoru always seemed to shrink in fear whenever they saw her though.
Some students, like Todoroki, Minoru, and Aoyama, didn't find any particular group. Todoroki was a loner by nature. The other two were unfortunately isolated from the other groups.
Back in the classroom, the students were chatting excitedly within their groups.
"Who do you think will be our Battle Training teacher?" asked Ochako, practically vibrating with excitement. She bounced lightly in her seat.
"I just hope it isn't Mr. Aizawa," Kaminari replied, a nervous chuckle escaping him. "I don't think I can handle another period of Mr. Aizawa."
"I wonder if it will be Ms. Midnight," mused Yaoyorozu.
Asui observed Yaoyorozu with a neutral gaze. "You sure seem to like her," she pointed out, straightforward.
Yaoyorozu's hands clasped together, and a bright smile lit up her face. "I've learned so many things from her in just a week," she said. "I can't wait to learn even more."
The others, even Izuku, were puzzled by her statement. They couldn't imagine Yaoyorozu learning anything from the dull History lessons that Midnight seemed to inflict upon them. Even Izuku was starting to dislike Midnight's class, and he was genuinely grateful to her for saving his life.
Izuku's ears twitched. He thought he heard footsteps. Iida was about to speak, to join the conversation, when suddenly heavy footsteps reached everyone in the classroom, silencing their chatter. They realized something. The rooms were heavily soundproofed. No sound went in or out. So where were those footsteps coming from?
The heavy footsteps grew louder, and a second later, the door to their classroom slid open with a resounding boom.
"I! AM! HERE!!!"
Everyone stared, wide-eyed, at the person – no – the legend standing in their doorway. Because All Might himself was there, dressed in his iconic Golden Era suit. He hooked his hands on the doorframes, leaning into the class in a dramatic entrance pose.
"TO TEACH YOU!" The Hero continued.
Izuku didn't know what the Hero had anticipated, but he was met with absolute silence. Understandably. Most students were probably trying to discern whether this was a dream or reality.
All Might strode into the class, each step and each movement of his body exuding power. His presence felt reassuring, yet somehow intimidating. This was the Number One Hero, in the flesh. And he was here to teach them.
"Good Morning, class!" All Might greeted. His voice was now much more subdued than his booming entrance.
However, the class remained stunned to see the Symbol of Peace, unable to offer a response. Izuku scanned the room, finding most students gazing at the Hero in awe. Except for one: Todoroki. The dual-haired boy wore a peculiar expression; a complicated emotion of anger, bitterness, and resignation.
Todoroki intrigued Izuku.
"I am your teacher for this period," All Might continued, unfazed. "In this period, we're going to simulate an exercise that will be very crucial in your future. As you already know, this period is: BATTLE TRAINING!!!"
Silence.
Absolute silence greeted his declaration. And it was starting to affect even All Might, it seemed, because the Hero coughed awkwardly into his fist before continuing.
"For this period," he said, "you will be allowed to wear your Hero Costumes." He retrieved a remote from his pocket, which looked comically small in his large hands, and pressed a button. The lockers assigned to the students hissed and opened. "Your Hero Costumes have been placed in your designated lockers. Some of you may have not received your costumes yet. But don't worry, you can still participate in the training. We will make accommodations for you guys."
He then studied the (still) bewildered faces of his students and quivered internally. This was going to be a long day, he could feel it in his bones.
"Alright, then!" All Might proclaimed, doing his best to invigorate his students. "Go and get dressed, so that we can start our very first Battle Training. PLUS ULTRA!"
"PLUS ULTRA!" the class roared in response.
All Might was left surprised. How does that always work?
And, of course, his luck—or lack thereof—ensured that one of the students who did not receive their Hero Costumes was Izuku Midoriya himself. The reason why he did not receive his suit was also, quite literally, in his hand.
He stood in the 'city' where the Entrance Examination had taken place, a small piece of paper clutched in his hand. One side of his lips curled upwards, his eyebrows furrowed as he scrutinized the paper's contents.
'Sorry, could not complete your baby. It went boom!'
That was it. That was all that was written on the piece of paper. He didn't know what to make of this. His baby ? What was that? He was sure he didn't have a baby. And what did they mean by 'it went boom'? Everything was alright, right ?
Izuku's mind raced through the suit design he had requested. He was absolutely certain that no illegal explosives were part of his request. In fact, he hadn't requested any explosives. The last thing he wanted was a case against him for requesting something illegal.
A sigh escaped Izuku's lips, and he pocketed the slip of paper. Maybe he should pay Power Loader a visit? He looked down, a bit miffed that only the black, perforated under-armor he had asked for had been delivered. The material was porous, allowing his skin to breathe and absorb sweat. The cloth clung snugly to his athletic build, yet its stretchable material didn't restrict his movements. Good. It was just the way he wanted it. He combined the under-armor with pants made of the same material, hugging his legs like a second skin.
The few components of his suit that he had received were good for now. They were comfortable, fitting him exactly as he wanted. He just had to be patient and wait for the other (main) components of the suit.
"I see your costume hasn't been delivered," Iida stated, once he was near Izuku.
He was dressed in his Hero costume, which was heavily inspired by his dear older brother. The suits were almost identical. The only difference was the color coding. Ingenium's suit was more silvery with dark-blue highlights, while Iida's was stark white with sky-blue highlights. His mask was designed in a way that it wouldn't muffle or distort his voice.
"Yeah," Izuku responded. "Apparently, my suit went boom or something."
"What does that mean?" Iida questioned, surprise evident in his tone.
Izuku released a resigned sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I have no idea," he replied.
One by one, the other students filtered into the city, some wearing their new costumes. Todoroki's hero costume was a sky-blue gym outfit. Was that his suggested costume? Or had he also not received his costume, like Izuku?
Izuku and Iida were soon joined by Jirou and Kaminari, both sporting hero costumes inspired by Rock bands.
Jirou's hero costume included a black leather jacket, a long salmon-colored shirt with several rips at the collar and hem, black pants, and boots with stereos built into their shafts. She also wore a plain black choker and white fingerless gloves.
Kaminari's hero costume consisted of a plain white shirt, over which he wore an open black jacket with a white lightning pattern across his back. He had matching pants with two lines running down his legs and brown shoes. A single, square-shaped earphone rested over his right ear, resembling a radio antenna sticking out of the top.
Izuku whistled. "Couple goals so early," he commented playfully, which prompted a fist bump from a blushing Jirou on his crown.
"Don't you dare, Green," she grumbled. Beside her, Kaminari blushed and looked away. To save himself from further embarrassment, he quietly slipped away from the group to join another conversation.
Soon enough, Asui joined the group, hopping her way over to them like a frog. She was wearing a form-fitting, bright-green turtleneck bodysuit that hugged her in all the right places.
"You aren't dressed?" Asui asked, her gaze settling on Izuku.
"Unfortunately, not," Izuku replied with a simple shrug. "My suit went boom or something."
"Ochako doesn't want to come," Asui informed them, causing a ripple of concern to pass through the gathered group members. "Momo is trying to convince her."
"Why? Is she alright?" Jirou asked. "Did her suit malfunction or something?"
Asui nodded. "Something like that," she answered.
The group didn't have to wait long for Uraraka and Yaoyorozu to appear. The other group members found nothing wrong with Uraraka's hero costume. It was a tight, form-fitting bodysuit in pink and black colors with an astronaut-esque helmet on her head. Her costume suited her well.
"Are you alright, Ochako?" Jirou asked, once the girl joined them.
"I am," stammered a nervous Ochako.
"Asui said something about your suit malfunctioning?" Iida asked. "Is everything alright?"
Ochako visibly blushed at his words, her cheeks reddening. "I just wish the suit wasn't so tight," she replied, embarrassed. "I requested it to be a little wider, like Thirteen's, but for some reason, they made it like this. Maybe I should have mentioned Thirteen in particular."
"They may have made a mistake," Jirou commented thoughtfully. "Someone blasted Midoriya's suit, too. We should go and talk with Power Loader."
"You will?" Ochako brightened, looking hopefully at Jirou. "Thank you so much!"
While the group was busy discussing how to inform Power Loader about the mishap, Izuku found himself lost in thought, observing Momo Yaoyorozu. She wasn't dressed provocatively, not at all. Her hero costume was completely red with black highlights. It consisted of a high-collared, backless, and sleeveless sports bra made of a protective material, with no cleavage window. The collars and hems of the sports bra were black. Her arms were bare, and her hands were covered with gloves whose fingertips were absent. The backside of the gloves were covered by metal plates. The underside, Izuku guessed, was made of a material to increase friction and support her grip. Below, she wore red shorts made of the same protective material as her sports bra. Like her arms, her thighs were bare, while her long legs were covered by knee-high socks and shin guards. Her knees were protected by knee-guards as well. Her feet were covered by very low-heeled shoes.
Yaoyorozu noticed Izuku's stare and asked, "Is everything alright, Mr. Midoriya?"
At one point, Izuku had realized that getting Yaoyorozu not to attach the honorific was pointless. She had been raised in a highly sophisticated society. So, he stopped trying.
Izuku shook his head. "Nothing," he stuttered, trying to keep his voice as neutral as possible. "That costume suits you."
A small blush appeared on Yaoyorozu's face at the compliment. She glanced at her feet and fidgeted. "Oh," she stammered, "Thank you so much. Can't say the same about you." She giggled, attempting a lighthearted joke.
Izuku chuckled at her attempt. Trying to divert his teenage hormones, he glanced around the room. He was happy that he had so much time to study each and every one of his classmates' quirks. Six Eyes were very handy when it came to analyzing quirks.
It was funny that Kirishima was just wearing black, baggy pants. His upper body was bare except for the frills that encircled the base of his arms (from shoulder to armpits). It suited his rowdy and rambunctious attitude. Mina was wearing a colorful top and pants with pink patches over a bluish hue, over which she wore a bright-pink faux fur jacket.
It was at this moment that Izuku's eyes landed on one particular classmate: Toru Hagakure. His eyes widened slowly as he took in her form. His heart started racing, and his hormones went haywire. His body began to shake imperceptibly as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing.
Because, chatting in a lively manner with Ojiro and Tokoyami, was a naked Toru Hagakure; a very naked Toru Hagakure. All she was wearing was a pair of gloves and shoes.
Izuku could literally see her fully. See everything of the girl. His poor brain could only take so much stimulation especially at such provocative levels before it gave out. His brain fried, and he started leaning backward.
"MIDORIYA!"
Izuku heard his friends call out as he fell backward onto the ground, his eyes spinning. A trickle of blood dropped from his nose as he lost consciousness, the screams of his friends and classmates a mere backdrop to the fuzzy feeling in his ears.
"So," All Might began, looking at the gathered students. "Can someone tell me what happened?"
He was referring to Izuku's sudden fainting incident. The boy was on the ground, medic bots attending to him and dabbing at the trickle of blood coming from his nose.
Yaoyorozu stepped forward, worry etched on her face. "I am sorry, Mr. All Might," she stated. "But he just fainted out of nowhere. We don't know what could have caused him to lose consciousness."
Midnight stood beside All Might. She had rushed over as soon as she heard the news. She looked at Yaoyorozu, her facial muscles tight with tension. "What was the last thing he said before fainting?" she asked.
Yaoyorozu started fidgeting, her cheeks dusting ever so slightly with pink. "He," she stammered, "said that my costume suits me."
Behind her, Mina and Toru giggled, while Jirou wore a smirk.
Midnight coughed into her fist. "I see," she murmured, giving the girl a nod. "Is that everything he said?"
"Yes," Yaoyorozu replied confidently.
"Alright, thanks for the information," Midnight responded, her shoulders slumping as relief washed over her, easing the tension. "I will leave you guys to your course. Have a good day." Giving the class a flying kiss, Midnight sauntered away, leaving All Might to deal with the students.
"Well," the Symbol of Peace exclaimed once Midnight had left, "I guess we can just wish for Mr. Midoriya to wake up soon enough. Let's begin the class. Are you ready?!"
"Yes, All Might!" The class chorused loudly.
Iida raised his hand and called, "Mr. All Might!"
"Yes, young Iida?" All Might acknowledged.
"This seems like the same city used in the Entrance Examination," Iida noted. "Will our battle training require us to go through something similar?"
"Nope!" All Might declared with a big grin. "Instead, we're going to simulate a battle between Heroes and Villains."
"What does that mean?" Ochako intoned curiously.
"Most villain battles occur outdoors. But it has been statistically proven that the worst kind of villains lurk inside. From hostage situations to dangerous confinements, the worst kind of villains always take advantage of indoor spaces." All Might explained. He had memorized the explanation and was recalling most of it from the top of his head.
"I will now divide the twenty of you into ten teams of two members," he continued. "Once we form the teams, each team will be randomly assigned one of two roles—Hero and Villain. After that, a Hero team will go up against a Villain team. Understood?"
The class nodded in understanding. No one raised their hand to ask a question initially.
Yaoyorozu then raised her hand. "How do we win?" she asked before adding, "Both teams, I mean."
All Might nodded, acknowledging the question. "The objective is easy," he replied. He pulled a tablet from somewhere within his suit and displayed it to the class. On the screen was a black rocket that looked comically unrealistic.
"This is a faux bomb," continued All Might, "and we will put this in that building over there." He half-turned and pointed at a building in the distance. "Initially, the bomb will be placed on the fourth floor of the building. The villains' task is simple: defend the bomb to the best of their ability. The Heroes' task is to retrieve the bomb within ten minutes. By retrieve, I mean to say that if the Heroes simply touch the bomb, that will secure them victory. But if the Heroes fail to do so within the time limit, then the Villains will win."
Soon after, the groups were formed.
Shoto Todoroki and Mezo ShojiMomo Yaoyorozu and Reiko YanagiTenya Iida and Ochako UrarakaMina Ashido and Eijiro KirishimaKoji Koda and Rikido SatoDenki Kaminari and Kyoka JiroFumikage Tokoyami and Tsuyu AsuiMashirao Ojiro and Yuga AoyamaHanta Sero and Mineta MinoruIzuku Midoriya and Toru Hagakure
Chapter 26: Icy Dominance
Iida heaved a sigh of relief, managing to drag an unconscious Izuku to the far end of the observatory and gently placed him against the wall. He felt a twinge of disappointment that the medic bots had simply dropped Izuku unceremoniously in the middle of the room. They could have at least been a little more careful.
The blue-haired boy glanced down at his friend and frowned. Izuku looked so peaceful. It was the first time Iida had seen him faint like this. He held this unwavering image of Izuku in his mind; yet, here he was, lying unconscious. Guess even Izuku had his limits, Iida mused, wondering what exactly had triggered them.
Shooting a cautionary look at his friend, Iida rose and rejoined his classmates.
"Alright, let's begin the allocation, shall we?"asked All Might, standing between two podiums. Atop each were cubic boxes labeled 'Hero' and 'Villain,' respectively.
The Number One Hero scanned his students. Their determined expressions filled him with a warm, fuzzy feeling. Seeing young hero trainees so eager to prove themselves always brought a swell of pride to his chest. It almost brought a tear to his eye.
He reached into both boxes simultaneously, and after a moment of shuffling, pulled out two balls—one white, the other black—each bearing a letter. The white one showed 'A,' and the black one, 'H.'
"This means team A is the Hero, and team H is the villain," All Might declared, his voice booming through the observatory. Some students winced at the sheer volume. "Both teams, please step forward."
Todoroki, Shoji, Ojiro, and Aoyama complied. Out of the four, Todoroki looked the most uninterested.
"The Villain team will have five minutes to prepare after entering the building," All Might informed them. "The Hero team will have only ten minutes to trap the villains and secure the faux bomb."
He then produced a roll of tape from his suit pocket, displaying it to the class.
"The Heroes have to capture the villains using this capture tape," continued All Might. "Only then will the villain be considered defeated. If the Heroes manage to capture both villains but fail to seize the faux bomb, the mission is a failure. Likewise, if the Heroes capture the bomb but not the villains, the mission also fails."
"The entire test seems stacked against the heroes," Asui commented, sounding indifferent. The other students nodded in agreement.
"Very true," accepted All Might, before explaining further. "But unfortunately, real-life situations will often be tipped against the Heroes. Heroes are expected not only to defeat villains but also to save civilians. There are many types of Heroes: combat, support, healing. That's why you'll often see heroes teaming up to fight villains."
All Might raised his right hand, clenching it into a fist."By combining our strengths, we aim to make this society a better place to live," he declared. The students stared in wonder at the Number One Hero, especially moved by the conviction in his voice.
"Alright, enough chit-chat," All Might exclaimed, a big grin plastered on his face. "It's time for the battles to begin! Team H, on your way!"
"Don't you guys think Todoroki is a bit creepy?" Ochako commented, staring at the large screen displaying the arena.
Ojiro and Aoyama had entered the building almost five minutes earlier. Todoroki and Shoji were making their way toward it at a leisurely pace.
"He looks like a cyclops," observed Asui.
That was very true, especially with the left side of his body covered in a material resembling ice and his left eye protected by glasses. He did, indeed, look like a cyclops.
Yaoyorozu raised her right hand up to her chin, her fingers curling under her lips. Her brows furrowed as a thoughtful look crossed her face. "Todoroki," she murmured. "I feel like I've heard that name before."
"Enji Todoroki," stated Iida, sounding serious. "The Number Two Hero, Endeavor."
"Wait!" Jirou's head snapped toward Iida. "Is Todoroki Endeavor's son?"
"Most likely," Iida answered with a stiff nod. "I asked my brother, and he said that Endeavor does have a son our age."
"Man," Kaminari pitched in, "I can't wait to see what the Number Two's son is capable of. Doesn't look like much to me."
Inside the building, Ojiro and Aoyama stood guard in front of the faux bomb.
"Mon ami, how does my costume look?" Aoyama asked cheerfully. He looked rather funny asking that.
Ojiro seemed lost, unsure how to respond. "Looks…good," Ojiro commented, a bit awkwardly. Aoyama did look comical, but Ojiro kept that observation to himself.
Their plan was simple: defense. Todoroki was by no means weak but his ice couldn't be that powerful, right? That was why Ojiro had asked Aoyama to deal with him. Ojiro himself would take on Shoji.
Outside, Todoroki and Shoji finally stood before the building. Shoji was about to speak, but Todoroki ignored him, simply entering the building without consulting his teammate.
Without complaint, Shoji followed the stoic boy inside. Once inside, Shoji used one of his tentacles, transforming the tip into an ear. He stood in place, concentrating for a few seconds.
"Fourth floor," Shoji reported. "They don't seem to have moved."
"Step outside," Todoroki said; his first words of the day. His indifferent expression had shifted, now replaced with a look that screamed, 'I am better than you all.' "I won't be able to keep you out of the effect of my quirk."
"But wouldn't it be better to fight them together?" Shoji asked, looking at Todoroki for some kind of explanation.
"I don't need you," Todoroki replied without hesitation. He glanced back at Shoji, and for a moment, the other boy thought his left eye glowed an ominous red. "Now, step outside. I don't want to waste too much time."
Shoji stared back at Todoroki. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out of the building.
"Wait, why is Shoji stepping outside?" Mina asked, sounding surprised.
"Yeah, I wonder why?" Kirishima pondered aloud, though he received no answer.
Watching Todoroki, All Might briefly saw a vision of Endeavor standing beside him. I am amazed how similar you two are , All Might thought to himself.
Todoroki faced forward with an unreadable expression. They're pulling back, playing it safe , he thought, a flicker of disdain crossing his mind. It won't help them. He strode to the nearest wall, his boots echoing faintly on the cold floor, and pressed his right palm against the rough surface.
In an instant, a sharp, biting chill ripped through the air. Ice surged from his touch, swallowing the entire building in a heartbeat. The observatory fell silent, every onlooker stood frozen by the sheer, terrifying force of it. The walls groaned under the weight of frost, a pale, glimmering shroud that seemed to choke the life from the structure.
Outside, Shoji stared at the ice-covered building, his eyes wide with awe and a hint of trepidation.
"Holy," Kirishima breathed, staring at the screen wide-eyed.
"Shit," Kaminari gulped, mirroring Kirishima's expression.
"This…" Jirou murmured, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead.
"How do you even do something like this?" asked Mineta, almost on the verge of tears. How could Todoroki look so cool? He'd steal all the girls!
"Poor Ojiro…" Hagakure murmured sadly.
Without even having to fight , All Might pondered. He wore a big grin, but inside, he was sweating bullets. He hadn't expected Endeavor's son to be this advanced. He just froze everyone and everything! All Might's eyes then focused on the screen displaying the villain team. Yet, he somehow managed not to freeze the villain team completely.
Inside the building, on the fourth floor, Ojiro and Aoyama found their feet frozen, stuck to the ground by ice.
"What…" Ojiro stammered, trying to free his feet but finding himself unable to. "What the hell is this?"
"Oh non!" Aoyama exclaimed. "We are frozen in place!"
Footsteps echoed from the hall, signaling someone's approach. A second later, Todoroki appeared, his left eye glowing an ominous red.
"You guys would have performed well against someone else," he said as he slowly walked toward the 'villain' team. Once he closed the distance, he used the capture tape to wrap Ojiro and Aoyama tightly.
As he passed them, he added, "But unfortunately for you, you got matched against someone who is out of your league."
Defeated, Ojiro and Aoyama watched as Todoroki touched the faux bomb with his left palm.
"I apologize," the dual-haired boy said, not even looking at them. "I would have loved to see your quirks in action."
The way he said it left both Ojiro and Aoyama unsure whether he truly meant it or not.
"HERO TEAM WINS!!!"
"I don't know about you guys," said Kaminari as All Might declared the victors over the microphone, "But I sure am glad I didn't go up against Todoroki. That seems…cold."
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement.
They watched in silence as Todoroki melted the ice away just as quickly as he'd formed it. At that point, most of them realized something.
Todoroki was undoubtedly the strongest among them.
Except for four people: Iida, Jirou, Kaminari, and Kirishima. They had all seen Izuku in action, after all. Though Jirou, Kaminari, and Kirishima thought Todoroki was the only one who could give Izuku a run for his money.
Todoroki, Shoji, Ojiro, and Aoyama returned to the observatory. Todoroki looked nonchalant, Shoji looked relieved, while Ojiro and Aoyama looked disappointed. They had hoped to showcase their quirks but were unfortunately overwhelmed by a far superior Todoroki.
"You guys did well, all of you," All Might tried to cheer up the students, but even he knew it was futile. "But don't worry. You'll get plenty of opportunities to show your quirks in the future. You're all here to practice them in the first place."
The Number One Hero then turned to face the rest of the class. "Now, here is where we would discuss the MVP of the battle," he informed them. "But this battle was too short to do that." WRONG WORDS, All Might roared internally.
Behind him, Ojiro and Aoyama hung their heads in sorrow.
"What I mean is," All Might tried to salvage the situation, "Todoroki was far superior to the other students."
WRONG WORDS AGAIN!!! The class thought in unison.
This time, even Shoji hung his head in resignation behind All Might.
All Might sighed and decided to give up. He knew he was only making the situation worse. "What I mean is, based on his performance, the MVP does go to young Todoroki," he said. "But we also need to appreciate young Shoji more. He did not protest and allowed his teammate to perform unrestrictedly. Sometimes, in this field, you'll need to step aside and let someone better suited than you handle the situation."
"Now, then," continued All Might quickly, his tone becoming loud and boisterous again, "Let's move on to the next battle!"
Izuku groggily opened his eyes, his eyelids fluttering as he adjusted to his surroundings. He groaned softly and wondered where he was.
"Ah, young Midoriya, you're awake," said All Might.
Everyone's attention shifted from the two large screens to Izuku, who was pushing himself upright.
It took Izuku's mind a moment to stabilize and fully recall the events before he had fainted. He couldn't help but blush furiously as he remembered Hagakure's naked body. Shaking his head vigorously, he wobbled over to his classmates and took a position beside Iida.
"Midori!" A bubbly Hagakure called, bouncing toward the green-haired boy.
Izuku instantly averted his eyes, not wanting to see her naked again. He cursed Nemuri once more for that overtly explicit 'birds and bees' talk she'd given him just before joining U.A. Talking to clothed girls was one thing; talking to naked ones was completely different.
"Thank god you woke up," said Hagakure, cheerful and excited; an excitement Izuku knew wouldn't be there if he told her the truth. "I was afraid I'd have to go alone and fight the others."
"W-What?" Izuku stuttered. "What do you mean by that?" He was still looking anywhere but at her.
"Young Iida," All Might addressed the blue-haired boy, "Kindly explain the scenario to young Midoriya. You will be able to, right?"
"Of course, teacher," replied Iida with a diligent nod.
For the next few minutes, Iida explained the battle scenario to Izuku, answering any questions that arose. By the end of the explanation, Izuku's eyes were wide behind his glasses.
"You're…telling me," Izuku began, slightly trembling, "that Hagakure and I…are team members?"
"Yup!" Hagakure answered, full of smiles, not that anyone could see her smiling, and Izuku was still refusing to look. They had to gauge her excitement from the cheerfulness in her voice. "So, let's do our best, Midori!" she added.
But unfortunately, the thought of teaming up with a naked girl was too much for young Izuku. The 'birds and bees' lessons given to him by Nemuri resurfaced in his mind. He went stiff and fell backward, hitting the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Iida threw himself to the ground beside Izuku and shook him vigorously. "Midoriya! Oi! Izuku! Wake up!" he called, trying to rouse his friend.
But Izuku remained motionless and stiff, not budging an inch.
From his spot, All Might watched the scene and wondered what was wrong with Izuku. Was he suffering from some disease? Was he pushing himself to the limit? He would need to talk to the boy to make sure everything was fine.
He plunged his hands into the two boxes and, after some shuffling, pulled out a white and a black ball.
"Teams C and G, PLEASE STEP FORWARD!"