Chapter 58: A Brother's Silence, An Agent's Promise
In a secluded, quiet corridor far from the roaring heart of the stadium, Tenya Iida stood with his back pressed against the cool concrete wall. The noise of the crowd was a distant, muffled hum, a world away from the tense silence that filled this empty space. He held his phone to his ear, listening to the monotonous, unanswered ringing. Each ring was a small, sharp blow against his composure. Finally, the call went to voicemail. Iida lowered the phone, his thumb hovering over the contact name on the screen: Tensei. A deep, worried frown creased his usually immaculate brow.
"…Brother," he whispered to the silent phone, his voice heavy with an unspoken and growing dread.
In another part of the stadium, the infirmary was a sanctuary of calm. Ochako Uraraka burst through the door, her own fatigue forgotten, her face a mask of worry. "Deku-kun!"
The room was quiet. Izuku Midoriya was sitting upright on a bed, looking bruised but remarkably whole. Recovery Girl was tidying up some supplies, and a tall, shockingly gaunt man with kind, sunken eyes stood near Midoriya's bed. Uraraka, not recognizing the man, gave him a quick, polite bow, which he returned with a gentle nod of his head. Her attention was immediately on her friend.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice still breathless. "I saw the end of the fight, you looked… incredible, but are you hurt?"
Midoriya offered a weak but genuine smile, a faint blush on his cheeks from her concern. "I'm alright, Uraraka-san. Recovery Girl already checked me over. No broken bones this time." He looked down at his own hands, a familiar look of disappointment clouding his features. "Unfortunately, I'm still too weak. I couldn't win."
"That's not it at all!" Uraraka said, her voice suddenly passionate, surprising him. "That's not what's important!" She took a step closer, her own eyes shining with a fierce, emotional light. "Every other time… I've watched you come back from a fight completely broken. I thought… I thought I was going to see you wheeled in here again, covered in casts." She took a shaky breath. "But seeing you like this… your body whole… it just makes me… so happy."
Midoriya stared at her, completely taken aback. His face flushed a deep, brilliant red. The sincerity in her voice, the profound relief in her eyes, struck him more deeply than any of Lee's punches. He was speechless, a flurry of flustered thoughts crashing in his mind. "…T-Thank you, Uraraka-san," he finally managed to stammer.
In the background, Toshinori Yagi watched the exchange, a silent, deeply paternal smile on his face. He saw the strong, genuine bonds his successor was forging, and it filled his heart with a quiet warmth.
The tender moment was suddenly shattered by the booming, amplified voice of Present Mic echoing from the stadium. "ALRIGHT, LET'S KEEP THE HYPE TRAIN ROLLING! IT'S TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE THIRD MATCH OF THE QUARTER-FINALS! IT'S A BATTLE BETWEEN TWO FAST-MOVING CLASSMATES! TENYA IIDA VERSUS OCHAKO URARAKA!"
Uraraka's entire body jolted as if struck by lightning. Her eyes went wide with a mixture of shock and nervous panic. "It's already time?!" she exclaimed. She spun around, her expression a whirlwind of emotions. "I-I have to go! See you later, Deku-kun!"
She bolted for the door, but just as she reached it, Midoriya's voice called out, firm and clear.
"Uraraka-san."
She stopped, turning back to look at him. His expression was no longer flustered. It was serious, his green eyes full of a deep, earnest concern.
"Do your best," he said quietly. "And… don't push yourself beyond your limits."
She stared at him, his quiet words of care meaning more to her than a thousand shouts of encouragement. She was silent for a long moment, the panic in her eyes replaced by a new, steady resolve. A small, beautiful smile touched her lips.
"I promise," she said. And then, she was gone, running towards her own battle.
High in the stands, Sora and Lee had returned to their seats. As they approached, Mr. Tanaka stood up, a wide, triumphant grin on his face. He extended a hand towards Lee, who looked at him with a respectful but confused expression.
"So, you are the famous Lee-kun," Mr. Tanaka said, his voice booming with a newfound familiarity. "I believe this is our first official meeting."
Lee looked at Sora, a silent question in his eyes, but Mr. Tanaka spoke again before she could, cutting her off.
"You can call me Tanaka," he said, his eyes sparkling with a businessman's ambitious fire. "I am your future business agent, and the man who will handle all the administrative affairs for your hero agency when the time comes."
Lee and Sora both stared at him, completely dumbfounded. "Huh?" Sora finally managed to say. "I haven't heard a single word about any of this."
"Of course you haven't," Tanaka replied smoothly, still holding his hand out. "It was a decision I made today, after watching your performance." He looked at Lee, his gaze full of genuine admiration. "You have exceeded every one of my wildest expectations, young man. This 'project' is no longer about simply filling a dojo with students. I see in you a talent, a force of will, that will likely never be replicated. I intend to invest all of my time and resources into you."
Sora's expression hardened. "Lee is not a 'project' for people to invest in."
"Oh, but we are all projects, Aokawa-san, if you think about it deeply enough," Tanaka countered, his tone reasonable and calm. "Our relationship will not be one of exploitation. It will be one of mutual understanding and support. I will handle the tedious paperwork, the branding, the finances… all the administrative nuisances… so that he can focus entirely on what he does best: becoming the greatest hero he can be." He looked at Lee, his smile unwavering. "All of this with your approval, of course, Lee-kun."
Lee looked from Tanaka's outstretched hand to Sora's wary expression, and then he simply smiled his earnest, straightforward smile. "I will definitely accept," he said without a moment's hesitation. "I am far too foolish to be able to handle any administrative nuisances myself."
Sora and Tanaka were both silent for a moment, surprised by his simple, honest logic. Then, Tanaka let out a hearty, booming laugh and finally shook Lee's hand with a firm, powerful grip.
"Then the deal is done!" he declared. "I will be your agent, hero." He paused, a new thought occurring to him. "By the way, what is your hero name?"
Sora looked at Lee. "He's never told me about that," she said.
Lee scratched the back of his head. "To be honest, I still haven't decided yet."
Their conversation was suddenly cut short by a fresh roar from the crowd. On the stage below, Iida and Uraraka were walking out from their respective tunnels. Their faces were set with a grim, focused determination, the faces of two friends who now had to become rivals. The stadium shook with cheers as Present Mic began his introductions.
In another section of the stands, Shoto Todoroki sat alone, watching the stage with his calm, analytical gaze.
"So, it begins," he murmured to himself.
~~~~
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