"You can't be serious, Young Midoriya, you're going to take the sport's festival seriously? If anything we should be laying low, especially for Eri's sake. B-Besides this is an event meant to celebrate the newly rising heroes. You, yourself have admitted to not liking involving yourself in those things. If someone like you were to attend it..." All-Might was in a pinch, his parental side wanted his son to compete and even win, but his hero side knew the repercussions of a delinquent entering with the very likely chance of winning the festival.

They were arguing in the dining area as Eri and Tenko were drawing in a coloring book, like always he was doing his best to put a smile on her face.

"So you want us to hide. Do you want a little girl that was kept hidden to keep on hiding? Eri deserves to enjoy her life, she deserves a childhood." Izuku had his eyes shadowed. "I'm going to win and show her that she doesn't have to be scared. I'm going to announce to the world that I am here!"

"Young Midoriya..."

All-Might was staring at the unfolding fight. 'It's the deciding moment.' He wanted to think of the outcome if Izuku won but he could only picture the sorrow stained eyes of a little girl that didn't know how to smile. He clenched his fists only able to let fate play out.

"Brutal? Quit trying to act so cool!" Kacchan's anger had blown off the lid as he rocketed to him with his quirk.

Izuku's eyes were shadowed.

He only needed a one-two sprint before blasting straight through Bakugo, throttling him with a clothesline. He flipped in mid-air, before crashing face-first, tumbling hard and scraping himself up. He instinctively blasted to his feet but Izuku was already relentlessly attacking him. Bakugo did his best to dodge and block as they exchanged blows but it was apparent that he was getting overwhelmed by Midoriya's strength and speed.

A hard open palm to Bakugo's ear caused his eardrum to burst and ring as he lost his balance, so when he tried to hit him with an explosion Izuku easily dodged. With Katsuki's hand extended, Izuku used that moment to interlock his fingers with Katsuki's, before doing a front flip over him with their hands locked, causing Bakugo's wrist to snap back, almost breaking off, being rendered useless.

Bakugo gritted in pain. He swiped out an explosion with his good arm as he turned around, hoping to get Deku, but all he did was blind himself in the smoke.

Izuku erupted out with a torque fueled arm, impaling Katsuki in the gut.

He coughed with wide eyes as he fell to his hands and knees. 'What? Every time we've fought I always had the advantage, so how? How?!'

He didn't have time to think because his red shoe was already on top of the back of his head.

"What?" Not able to react to it.

Izuku curb-stomped Katsuki's face in, breaking the cement, with the rest of his body flailing upward from the sheer force. He broke his nose and a few front teeth.

At this point, the cheer of the crowd had vanished. Instead, they were forced to look on as the last remaining student in the hero course was easily dismantled and beaten down into a puddle of his own blood.

Midoriya let up for a moment. He glanced at Midnight, waiting for her to call it. She caught his hard eyes and froze. She knew Bakugo couldn't win at this point nor make it believable but, 'I've been pressured into ensuring a hero student's victory.'

"Oi." Izuku had a hard glare, precisely analyzing her facial expressions through her thought process.

Her eyes widened because he was looking at her as if aware.

But he stood up. "Oi... Deku, you call that brutal..? Some blood spilling out of my face. Don't make me laugh..." He tried to mock but his body was wobbling on the verge of collapsing, his eyes threatening to close.

He ignored him, keeping his eyes on Midnight. "He can't even continue. How can a hero school not even care about their students' health."

"Like hell, I can't! Screw you Deku, I don't need you protecting me!" He stumbled before throwing his fist, trying to use an explosion but it was a dud and Deku simply stepped back letting Kacchan fall.

Even the crowd knew it was over but Midnight refused to call it because Bakugo kept getting back to his feet. It was hard to watch for most.

His fists were clenched with anger. He glanced at Midnight one more time before turning to Bakugo, who was struggling to get up.

Her eyes were wide because the result would be her fault.

Except, to everyone's surprise, there was simply a kind hand reaching out to Bakugo like when they were kids. "D-Deku?"

"C'mon Kacchan."

It was probably because he wasn't in the right headspace after being beat down but Kacchan took it, even with a small smile on his face. "I can walk fine, it was just a bump."

"I know, but I still want to." He helped Kacchan to his feet and draped his arm over his shoulders as he guided them out of the arena.

"I'm still gonna kick your ass." He mumbled as blood spilled from his mouth.

"I know Kacchan." And even though his eyes remained shadowed, his voice held that rare softness.

Midnight and the crowd were left speechless. Only the sounds of them trudging off the arena heard.

"K-Katsuki Bakugo is the winner!" Midnight forced herself to announce it through a shaking voice, ashamed of herself.

There were no boos and no cheers. Only a cluster of confused mumbling.

Even though Izuku wasn't declared the winner he had a smirk.

He had led the barely conscious Bakugo to a taxi that was already waiting for them with Shinso leaning on it. He also had a smirk seeing Izuku. "It happened just like you said, they weren't going to give you the victory, no matter how obvious."

"Yeah but if the first place winner can't accept the reward..."

"Then it goes to the runner up." Shinso chuckled. "They stacked the odds and you just completely flipped the table on them."

"Don't worry Kacchan, we're getting you to a hospital." As he laid him on the back seats.

The Taxi driver was under Shinso's brainwash and as soon as he hit the roof twice the car left to deliver Bakugo to the hospital.

They both smirked to each other.

"Showtime."

As expected the personnel in the back were panicking because no one could find Bakugo. The plan was for recovery girl to heal him quickly and start the ceremony. When asked about his disappearance Izuku simply said that the medical staff had taken him away, shrugging off the obvious blame.

And the festival ended with Izuku awarded first place.

"I-Is there anything you would like to say?" Midnight placed the microphone to his lips, as she did her best not to squirm in Izuku's presence. She honestly didn't know if she was terrified or enticed by his actions throughout the festival.

Izuku Midoriya was glaring at the camera aimed at him. No, he was glaring at the other side of the screen. Kai Chisaki was glaring back. Only the both of them knew they were staring at each other.

And he only said one thing to him.

"I'm not going to stop chasing you until I've kicked your goddamn ass..!"