Episode 11: "Violet Takes Flight"
It was five years ago when I met that child.
Just after the battle with him ended, and shortly after Nighteye had left my side.
I was meeting with the families of those who were lost in that battle.
There was that boy—
With hollow, yet incredibly gentle eyes, he was embracing a girl who seemed to be his younger sister.
Those eyes, however—were not looking at the girl; they were still gazing into emptiness.
Five minutes before the start of the competition, Yukinoshita's team.
"Sagami-san. Can you move with the three of us riding you?"
"Ah, yeah. Wait a sec…"
With a slight groan, Sagami's body began to grow larger. Her feminine form transformed into that of a beast, thick fur covering her entire body.
"Sagamin's quirk is, you know, a 'bakeneko'—a transforming cat!"
"…"
Wolf—Hachiman glanced silently at Yui. She had probably explained Sagami's quirk for his benefit, but unfortunately, he couldn't respond verbally. He settled for a silent nod.
"…Alright, transformation complete."
"O-okay. Excuse me…"
Yukino excused herself briefly before touching the now huge bakeneko-form Sagami. Watching Yukino, Hachiman noted she still liked cats as much as ever—no matter how big they got. Her unchanging feline enthusiasm remained strong even now.
"Don't worry. I can easily carry three people."
"Understood. Then, Sagami-san will form the front horse… or rather, the whole horse. I'll be the rider. You two provide support from behind."
"Got it! Like always! Yukinon, should I summon an ice bird?"
"Yes. Use your ice bird to watch our back. I'll handle the front; you watch the sides."
Yukino gave orders specifically to Hachiman. Well, Yukinoshita did know his true identity after all. Two years ago, the relationship between Hikigaya Hachiman and Yukinoshita Yukino clearly had Yukino in charge. If Yukino had treated him politely now, he'd probably wonder if she had a fever or some hidden agenda.
"Um… You're an exchange student, right? What's your quirk exactly?"
Sagami, now in cat form, asked Wolf cautiously. Confirming each member's abilities was crucial when forming a team. Yui, too, seemed curious. Hachiman glanced at Yukino, who sighed slightly before answering.
"He can control air. He manipulates the atmosphere."
"Oh, so it's not exactly wind manipulation?"
"Correct."
Yukino answered without revealing the core truth. She didn't lie—she simply omitted details. Wolf—Hikigaya Hachiman—could control air, but that was only part of his power. He could manipulate air, water, earth—essentially everything.
Due to his parents' quirks, he had inherited the potential to manipulate almost anything, which unfortunately drew the attention of dangerous villains.
"Controlling air, huh… Can you always use it, like when you blew away those robots?"
Yui asked Wolf innocently, unaware of the difficulty she was causing him. He couldn't speak, making the interaction impractical at best. He settled for nodding silently. Understanding he couldn't speak, Yui still showed an impressed expression.
Hachiman's quirk was complicated due to its nature and origin:
First, his parents married through quirk marriage.Second, due to a childhood accident involving his quirk, he refrained from using it for around ten years.Third, initially, his quirk was known simply as "Solid Manipulation."Fourth, after losing his left arm, All For One had it replaced with someone else's.
For the past two years since his kidnapping, All For One had carefully nurtured Hachiman's quirk to evolve further.
Hikigaya Hachiman.
Quirk: Connection Manipulation.
He could extend nerves from his body surface to connect with and freely control objects. Additionally, connected objects could interact with similar substances—solids with solids, liquids with liquids, gases with gases. A side-effect was his weight changing depending on the mass of connected materials—lighter or heavier accordingly.
Currently, he manipulated air and earth, though two years ago, he had only been capable of controlling solids. Due to his long abstinence from quirk usage, his abilities were delayed. Those who knew him from back then still assumed he could only manipulate solids. Incidentally, All Might's theory that air manipulation resulted from All For One's influence was incorrect.
"With this number of teams… probably only around four teams will move on to the next round."
"So next round is likely a tournament?"
"Probably. Considering that… we'll need over 1000 points total. And ideally, steal points from a top-ranked team."
"Ugh, I don't feel confident stealing from Todoroki-kun or Bakugo-kun…"
"Wrong, Yuigahama-san."
"Huh?"
"Not 'feel' confident. We will take them."
Yukino sounded confident—even clairvoyant. Sagami watched the two girls interact warmly.
(I'm glad Yui invited me, but recalling how I inconvenienced the Service Club two years ago makes this feel uncomfortable…)
Actually, she had troubled Yukino, Yui, and especially that gloomy guy individually. She sighed.
Glancing aside, she noticed Wolf watching her.
(…What's up with this guy? A-Class… exchange student, right?)
She doubted Yukinoshita invited someone based solely on power. Perhaps Yui had brought him along?
"Our targets… Well, Bakugo-kun is probably a bad matchup."
"How about Todoroki-kun? Yukinon could easily counter his ice."
"True. But if he uses flames, our chances shrink dramatically."
"Then, Midoriya-kun?"
"He has 10 million points. Even if we handle his strength, the aftermath is problematic."
"Considering Yukinon's stamina… yeah, neither am I built for long fights."
"…Uh, can I say something? I can avoid battles easily."
"Huh?"
"Indeed. With this cavalry setup, no one can match your speed, Sagami-san. Maybe Iida-kun from A-Class."
"And also Tobe-kun… maybe. With Ebina-san supporting him, we can't be sure."
As they discussed, Hachiman's eyes drifted to Tobe's team—specifically, Hayama.
(…Hayama.)
Hayama Hayato. Always second-best at Soubu, both academically and in quirk training, beneath Yukinoshita.
Alongside him were Yumiko Miura, Sho Tobe, and Hina Ebina. Familiar teamwork would make their group strong. Yukino noticed Hachiman's gaze.
"…He's ranked 11th, along with ranks 13, 18, and 33…"
"Uh… maybe at least call them by their names?"
"Total 705 points."
"Yui-chan, you're incredibly fast at calculations…"
"Hehe, calculations are my specialty!"
"They're a viable target. B-Class's Tetsutetsu also has over 700 points."
"All teams seem tough…"
For
Hachiman, Tetsutetsu's group seemed easiest. Hayama's substances were uncontrollable for him. He could control Todoroki's ice, but flames were impossible since fire was a reaction, not a substance. Similarly, Bakugo was off-limits.
He mentally reviewed rules again:
Cavalry battle royale.15-minute limit.Unknown number of teams advance.Points earned by stealing headbands.Losing your headband or formation doesn't eliminate you.Attacks solely aimed at disrupting formations led to disqualification.
Directly using quirks aggressively was dangerous due to rules. Thus, clear attack and defense roles were necessary.
"Stealing headbands from lower-ranked teams isn't ideal."
"Why?"
"Lower-ranked teams might specialize in combat rather than racing. Fighting multiple such teams is inefficient."
"So, being slow in a race doesn't mean weak in a fight?"
Sagami explained gently, prompting Yui's confusion.
"…Sagami-san, how could you be this perceptive now when two years ago you…"
"I'm sorry…"
"Yukinon, don't say that!"
Sagami sulked, Yui hurried to console her, Yukino awkwardly looked away, and Hachiman just watched quietly.
(Will this team really be okay?)
"Alright, everyone's formed their teams, yeah!? No need to ask if you're ready! Let's do it! Merciless battle royale countdown!"
Present Mic's voice signaled the imminent start. Just moments remained before the event began.
"Stay calm and composed."
"R-right!"
"…"
"Yes!"
"THREE!!!"
"Hayato-kun, who're we going after!?"
"Obviously, the 10 million! If we go for it, it's gotta be number one!"
"…Yeah, you're right…"
"Somewhere with plenty of fantasy material would be nice…"
"TWO!!"
"Totsuka, I'll leave the timing to you."
"Ready for emergency evasions anytime!"
"O-okay…!"
"ONE…!"
"START!!"
At the start signal, two cavalries lunged toward Midoriya's team. Actually, it wasn't just two—nearly every team rushed toward Midoriya; only the nearest ones appeared closer. Only two teams remained still: one was Monoma's group, cautiously observing to profit from chaos, and the other…
"Tobe, wait!"
"Huh!?"
"With this many going for the 10 million points, plans change! We'll target those teams instead!"
"Hey, that sounds doable! Let's roll with it!"
"Guh! A surprise attack from the usually submissive, now aggressive duo! Ah… amazing…!"
"Hey, Hina! Now's not the time for nosebleeds, my hands are occupied!"
Hayama Hayato calmly changed his strategy. Unlike Monoma, his initial goal wasn't attacking other cavalries, but for the sake of his team, adjustments were necessary.
Meanwhile, Midoriya's team evaded attacks from Tetsutetsu and Hagakure using Hatsume's gadget-babies, floating momentarily airborne. Right then, a beastly figure leaped toward them.
"Gotcha!"
"Nicely done."
"A cat!?"
Midoriya thought they'd be safe in mid-air, but Sagami Minami saw it as her chance. Midoriya's team stared in shock—not because they were airborne, but because the giant cat carried three people. That meant three individuals had both hands free. Yukino and Yui stretched toward Midoriya's headband.
"Trouble! Tokoyami-kun!"
"Dark Shadow!"
"I'll free one hand, guys!"
Tokoyami's Dark Shadow repelled Yukino's hands, while Uraraka knocked away Yui's hand—but unintentionally activated her quirk.
"Huh?"
"!!"
"Oh no!!!"
"What's going on!?"
Both teams fell, except Yui, who started floating upward. Uraraka's quirk, Zero Gravity, removed gravity from what she touched. Now, high above the ground, this was extremely dangerous. If her quirk released suddenly, Yui would drop from a fatal height.
"Ah…"
"Deactivate it!"
"Don't, Uraraka! We'll all fall!"
"Wolf-kun!!"
Without hesitation, Hachiman controlled the air. A strong gust pushed Yui downward safely, allowing Yukino and Hachiman to catch her gently.
"Wh-what just…!?"
"Yuigahama-san!"
"Yu-Yukinon! Wolf-kun…! Thanks!"
"…"
Hachiman looked away silently, slightly embarrassed. At 15, he was still an adolescent, after all. Yui tilted her head curiously.
"Everyone okay!? We're landing!"
"Sorry, Yui-chan! Release!"
Midoriya's team landed safely using Uraraka's quirk and Hatsume's jet-gadget. Yukinoshita's team landed gracefully thanks to Sagami's feline agility.
Present Mic commented excitedly:
"Looks like you handled it well! As expected from our exchange student! Manipulating air—something everywhere—what a formidable quirk!"
(Who'd have thought a villain would save someone…)
Unaware of these internal issues, a figure suddenly dashed toward both teams—alone.
"Don't get distracted, Midoriya! These sneaky hands are coming for you!"
"Huh!?"
"Shoji-kun!? Alone!? It's a cavalry battle!"
Shoji Mezo raced across the field alone toward Midoriya's and Yukinoshita's teams, far quicker than normal cavalry formations. Yukino noticed something odd. Sagami confirmed it by scent.
"There's someone hidden inside!"
"Inside… you mean those arms? Tentacles!?"
"Wait! Shoji-kun, are you carrying someone!? Then…"
Shoji, though large, couldn't run normally carrying an average-sized human—meaning it had to be someone smaller. The smallest participant…
"Mineta-kun!?"
"Wait, Mineta's sticky balls are everywhere!"
"What are these creepy things!?"
"Sagamin, don't touch them! They'll stick!"
"Half right, Midoriya!"
"Half!?"
Mineta's voice mocked from Shoji's back. Suddenly, a tongue-like object shot out, grazing Midoriya's head.
"A tongue!? Wait, is that—!"
"Good guess, Midoriya-chan!"
"Asui-san too!? Shoji-kun, amazing!"
"Call me Tsuyu."
"Cookie, GO!"
Yui's ice bird flew, aiming for Shoji's headband, but Shoji deftly evaded. Despite carrying two teammates, Shoji maintained incredible agility.
"Opportunity, Rin-san!"
"I'll take that headband!"
Hachiman, seeing the two incoming figures, blew them away with air manipulation. Astonishingly, they landed effortlessly, formation intact.
"What!? Who're they!?"
"Nice one, exchange student! I'm sort of an exchange student too!"
"Rin-san! They're paused! Quickly take their headbands and proceed to Midoriya-san!"
"Who…?"
"Shishida and Rin! Beast quirk and scales quirk!"
As Sagami explained, Midoriya's team retreated skyward. Yukino's chilling eyes silenced Yui's words—clearly irritated.
"Finish us quickly?"
"Y-Yukinoshita-san?"
"Uh-oh…"
(Always had a temper…) Hachiman sighed inwardly. Yukino was undeniably the quickest to anger among them.
"So, you'll quickly deal with us, you said?"
"Uh, well…"
"Just an expression… Yukinoshita-san?"
"I'll respond clearly."
Cold snapped at Yukino's fingertips.
"Go ahead if you dare. I'll freeze those lips along with your foolish words."
Ice surged forward, partially freezing both opponents. Shishida and Rin found themselves unable to move or use their quirks effectively, astonished by Yukino's precise control.
(The skill difference…!)
"Yuigahama-san, use the birds to take their headbands!"
"Got it!"
"Not happening."
A sudden flash shattered Yui's ice bird. Shocked, she turned toward the source. The smooth, light-based attack was distinct from Aoyama's Navel Laser—familiar to everyone present.
Hayama Hayato stood calmly, meeting everyone's gaze.
"Hayama...!"
"Shishida and Rin are totally frozen solid! Looks painful."
"What do you think you're doing!?"
"Well, they're stuck anyway, right? Whether we take the points or Yukinoshita does, it's all the same—classic win-win."
"That's just stealing..."
"Huh?"
Miura's intense glare silenced Rin immediately. Hachiman grimaced internally—Miura's queenly presence hadn't changed since middle school. Unlike Yukinoshita's icy stare, Miura's fiery gaze made him uncomfortable, although he wasn't exactly used to Yukino's cold eyes either.
"...What's the meaning of this?"
"Just as Yumiko said. We're here to grab some easy points."
"Then take the headbands quickly and leave. Why are you hesitating?"
"...Well, we're planning to take your points as well."
"...What a funny joke."
Hayama took the headband from the immobilized Rin, putting it around his neck. His team's total reached 830 points.
"There's less than half the time left!"
"The rankings…wait, what?"
On the stadium's monitor, the rankings showed significant changes:
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Midoriya Team: 10,000,385
2. Monoma Team: 1,475
3. Tetsutetsu Team: 1,325
4. Hayama Team: 830
5. Yukinoshita Team: 810
6. Todoroki Team: 730
7. Kendo Team: 725
8. Totsuka Team: 450
9. Tsunotori Team: 70
10. Bakugo Team: 0
...
"Bakugo-kun has… zero!?"
"It was Monoma. He played it smart."
"...You had something to do with it?"
"I did nothing. It was all Monoma's team."
"Like, everyone took it easy just to observe the quirks, right!?"
"Took it easy…?"
(I don't really get it either!) Tobe laughed. Hachiman understood: Class B had deliberately held back in the first event to observe Class A's quirks. But clearly, not everyone in Class B went along—Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki had clearly given their all. Hayama's team hadn't either.
When Hachiman's eyes met Ebina's, she suddenly spoke.
"...You're a guy, right?"
"…???"
Confused, Hachiman nodded. Did she recognize him? Nervously, he adjusted his collar, concealing his mic.
"…Kufufu."
"Huh?"
"An ice castle guarded by a beast, a captive wolf prince rescued by a warrior of light! And the jealous wind-man watching from behind… Yes! Perfect BL material!"
"Um, I'm a cat, not a dog..."
"Ebina is really… Ebina."
Hachiman stared, speechless; Hayama kept a poker face; Tobe chuckled awkwardly. Miura glared, ready to smack Ebina, but hesitated upon seeing her quirk activate.
"Imagination! Realize!"
"Whoa…"
"This is it!"
Ebina Hina's quirk: Fantasy Encouragement. Her fantasies empowered those who heard and believed them. Hayama grew stronger, Tobe faster—and Hachiman…
(My body…feels heavy!?)
"Oh? Even you're affected… You're surprisingly imaginative, huh~?"
(Damn it, I forgot about her quirk. She's surprisingly dangerous.)
"...Interested in BL?"
Hachiman vigorously shook his head. Yukino, knowing his identity, gave him an unimpressed glance before returning attention to Hayama's team.
"We're fifth now. Steal their points, and we move to second."
"Hayama-kun, huh… Can we win?"
"Sagamin..."
"He's strong and flawless… no one except Yukinoshita-san could beat him in middle school. Can we take the headband in five minutes?"
"Sagami-san, currently we're fifth. If we don't beat someone above us, we may not advance."
"…"
Typically, the UA festival ended with a tournament for the top 16. With teams of four, likely only the top four teams would qualify.
"We know each other's quirks. Conditions are equal. Besides, I didn't come just for Shishida's points."
"...Meaning?"
"I'm challenging you directly."
"...You've got nerve. Challenge accepted."
Suddenly, dozens of small glowing bullets appeared around Hayama—over fifty in total.
"Wait…! Hayato-kun shoots from his hands, right!?"
"No-motion attacks look cool, don't they~?"
"Ebina, this is your quirk's doing!?"
(What a cheat!) Hachiman cursed, connecting to air. Enhancing others' quirks was rare. Among those Hachiman knew, only AFO and Eraser Head directly affected others' quirks—Ebina's power was frighteningly unique.
"Can you handle this many!?"
"Stupid question."
"We got this!"
A volley of glowing bullets raced toward Yukino's team. Yukino calmly extended her hand, releasing tiny ice shards to intercept each projectile perfectly. Every single bullet exploded harmlessly midair.
"…!"
"Your bullets explode on physical contact. Then it's simple: intercept them all."
"At this close range, countering all of them… You're incredible, Yukinoshita-san."
"I've honed precision, this is nothing."
"Tobe!"
"Got it!"
Tobe activated jets on his legs, sending Hayama's team skyward. Hayama summoned more bullets, attacking from above.
"Incoming!"
"Sagami-san, distance!"
"Right!"
Yukino knew Tobe's jets required a three-second cooldown. She ordered Sagami to dodge quickly, expecting a landing opportunity.
"Landing's open!"
"You think?"
"We got this!"
Yet Ebina's fantasy nullified Tobe's cooldown, surprising Yukino's team. Hayama's bullets fired even closer. Yukino blocked again instantly, but Hayama's hands reached out—this was his chance.
Suddenly, wind gusted, forcing Hayama's head sideways, missing the headband.
"Wha…!?"
"Hayato!?"
Hachiman predicted this—Ebina's quirk could remove intervals. Prepared, he'd unleashed a precise gust, aiming only at Hayama's head. Hayama's headband flew off.
"The headband!"
"Sagamin!"
"Okay!"
Sagami's feline leap gave Yukino's team the advantage. Tobe leaped after, Hayama fired bullets, Yukino countered again, while Yui's hand reached the headband.
Miura acted. Her quirk Flying Strike transmitted physical force remotely. She swung her hand, knocking the headband away from Yui, letting it drift back to Hayama.
"Nice, Yumiko!"
Two minutes remained. Sagami prepared to pursue again, but Yukino and Yui were calm.
"Well done, Yuigahama-san."
"Yep!"
"What?"
Hayama froze—his headbands were missing. Turning sharply, he saw both headbands floating slowly toward Yui, animated by her quirk Animism.
"Yui!?"
"Macaron, hurry!"
"Not so fast!"
Snow froze Tobe's jets. Miura tried again but another gust stopped her. Hayama's bullets were deflected again. Finally, both headbands landed softly in Yui's hands.
"Got it!"
(That exchange student's quirk is crazy!)
(Too strong!)
Hayama realized too late—this subtle, perfectly-timed quirk use reminded him strongly of a familiar figure from middle school:
(…Hikigaya?)
But before he could think further, Present Mic's voice echoed throughout the stadium:
"TIME UP!!!"
"Eh…"
"We did it!"
Yukinoshita's team snatched all of Hayama's team points in the final seconds and pulled off a comeback victory. Yui threw her arms around Yukino.
"We did it! We really did it, Yukinon!!"
"Yes, that was a great catch at the end. Well done, Yuigahama-san."
"Yukinoooon!!"
"Whoa…"
Sagami was slightly thrown off by the close bond between the two. Yukino didn't seem the least bit annoyed by the hug.
Were they always like this? Especially Yukinoshita…?
While Yui celebrated, she glanced at Wolf.
At that moment, even if she hadn't grabbed the headband, it would've come back to her on its own due to her quirk.
But maybe… if it had gone back to Hayama, she could've stolen the other one he was wearing too.
Yet, a gust of wind had blown the headband back toward Hayama—
Could that wind… have been from Wolf?
If so, why would he do that? Giving it back to Hayama would've cost them the win.
Unless…
"…Hey, Wolf-kun."
"?"
"…Did you know I was going to use my quirk?"
"…"
Wolf turned away with a "hmph" and silently climbed down from Sagami.
He wasn't denying it—so it seemed Yui had guessed right.
Just like when he helped her after Ochako's quirk made her float, his reactions were identical to a certain someone's.
(…Hikki.)
Yui clenched her hand tightly. Yukino, watching her, remained silent.
They couldn't reveal the truth yet.
Just a few more hours.
(But for now, the rankings…) Yukino looked at the screen.
"Let's check out the rankings!! First place… Todoroki Team!! 10,000,385 points!!"
"Huh!? Midoriya-kun… got overtaken!"
"Wait, that's weird…? Todoroki's team score is the same as Midoriya's old score."
It seemed like the two had a fierce battle and traded points.
"Second place! Bakug… no, wait!! A surprise reversal!! Yukinoshita Team!! 1,515 points!! Bakugo's in third with 1,475!!"
"We—"
"We did it, Yukinon!!"
"Yes."
"Third place!?"
"What the hell!?"
While Yukinoshita's team celebrated, Bakugo's team was stunned.
They'd taken all of Monoma's points and should've been second.
Seeing Hayama's team had lost their headbands too, Bakugo realized the reversal had happened just like with them.
He glared at Yukino—who ignored him.
Then turned to Wolf—who stared at the monitor without moving.
"…"
"Well, we're still in third! We made it to the next round! All we gotta do is win the tournament!"
"Yeah, Bakugo! Let's pay 'em back in the finals—Yukinoshita and Todoroki too!"
"Damn right."
No hesitation. No doubt.
He had the strength—and he'd crush them all in the tournament.
That's just who Katsuki Bakugo was.
"And fourth place!! Tetsutetsu's tea—wait!? Another reversal!? It's Shinso Team!! 1,325 points!!"
"Eh… What about Shiozaki's team!?"
Sagami turned toward Tetsutetsu's team.
Still grouped together… and dazed.
Something had definitely happened.
She turned her eyes to the likely culprit—Shinso.
He must've taken all their points.
The smirk on his face gave off a vibe disturbingly similar to that of a villain.
"That's the top four! These four teams will—no, wait!! This year, we're doing things different!! Time for a big surprise, media peeps!! The final round will feature──32 combatants in a full-scale tournament battle royale!!"
"What!!?"
"32!? That's… the top 8 teams!?"
(It's starting.) Yukino recalled Principal Nezu's words:
"Doubling the participants!? That would extend the event…"
"That's the idea. We need to shift the ending."
"Why?"
"Do you really think the League of Villains will sit quietly? You think All Might's escort will be enough?"
"..."
"We can't predict their point of entry—there's a warper involved. They'll act during the festival or after. By changing the timing, we throw off their plans."
"And the second reason?"
"The upper-year events end earlier than the first-year stage. That lets us focus our forces here. With All Might and backups here, we'll be prepared."
"Indeed. Since Hachiman Hikigaya—our time bomb—is here too."
Yukino looked at Wolf.
But Hachiman didn't seem fazed by the rule change.
All that mattered was advancing.
He just had to win one extra match—no big deal.
The real challenge would come after the tournament anyway.
"Alright!! In fifth place… Midoriya Team!! 800 points!!"
Midoriya collapsed dramatically, tears streaming like a quirk.
"Sixth! Totsuka Team!! 625 points!! Seventh! Kendo Team! 555 points!!"
The crowd cheered.
Everything made sense so far—until now.
All other teams had 0 points.
How would they choose the remaining spots?
Midnight gathered the participants.
"Currently, we've got 27 qualifiers! That leaves 5 spots…"
"Please wait, Midnight-sensei."
"Yes? Ojiro-kun?"
Ojiro, tail swinging, stepped forward.
He'd been part of Shinso's team.
"I'd like to withdraw."
The class gasped—especially Class A.
Ojiro explained: he had no memory of the match.
He'd been unconscious the entire time.
He didn't think it was right to stand on this stage of professional attention.
Hachiman muttered internally, "If that's the standard, I shouldn't be here at all."
B-Class's Shoda also withdrew—he too had no memory, being part of Shinso's team.
Shinso, however, said nothing.
(A troublesome quirk… Mind control or mental disruption? Human-focused… Probably manipulation like mine.)
"Two withdrawals: Ojiro and Shoda… This is getting messy!?"
"Let Midnight decide."
Aizawa knew Midnight's tastes.
She loved cheesy youth dramas.
"Such a pure, earnest reason… I LOVE IT!!! Withdrawals accepted!"
((SHE DECIDED BY PREFERENCE!?))
Of course. Everyone nodded knowingly.
"Now we've got 25 entrants! That means we need 7 more! But we're not redoing ranks. So we'll use the ranking transitions—who held high ranks right before the end!"
"Ranking… transitions?"
"In short: who was ranked high right before the finish line!"
"Thanks for the explanation!!"
Midnight rang her crop again, looking at Yukino to stop interrupting.
"First! From Tetsutetsu's team—4 members!!"
"YEEEEAHHH!!!"
Tetsutetsu roared, elated. Shinso must've taken their points just before time was up.
"Next… Hayama Team! But only 3 members!"
"Ah, I'll pass."
"That was fast!? Immediate decision!?"
Ebina, who had lost her team's points with just 20 seconds left, declined.
"Ebina, you…"
"It's fine. I can't use my quirk on myself, and I'm not into interfering in BL battles. A 1v1 tournament doesn't suit me."
"Maybe just change your fantasy settings…"
"Anyway. Go ahead and take it."
"Thanks, Yumiko. Good luck—both of you too!"
"Thanks, Hina!"
"Ebina-san!! I'll do my best!!"
Hayama's team settled on their picks.
The final round was a 1v1 battle format.
Hachiman had no issue with that.
But he looked toward Yui, wondering if she might struggle.
Yet her expression wasn't troubled—
It was resolved.
Hachiman had seen that look before.
And he remembered: whenever she looked like that, she was always strong.
The 32 participants were all confirmed, and one by one, they drew lots.
This draw would determine the matchups for the tournament.
And finally, the brackets were set.
"Here are the matchups!"
"W-Wait, I'm up against Yumiko!?"
"Yui…"
"…Neither of us are facing each other."
"Yanagi-chan, um, her quirk was something like Poltergeist, right?"
"Ugh, Shiozaki-san?!"
"…So I'm up against the electricity type, huh."
"Um… I've got Kendo-san from Class B!"
"Aoyama… the laser guy, huh."
"It's Mina-chan for me—looking forward to it!"
The students walked up to the board to check the finalized brackets.
Hachiman saw his opponent's name: Konenuki.
Unfortunately, he didn't recognize the name.
He'd looked over Class A's roster once, and this name hadn't been on it—
So it must be someone from Class B.
Suddenly, a mechanical chime rang in his ear, followed by a low, withered voice from his earpiece.
"…Progress report?"
Annoyed at being spied on—especially by someone who was probably just watching the broadcast anyway—Hachiman stepped away from the others to respond.
"…Just like you can see."
"Things seem to be going smoothly."
"Hardly. It was close earlier."
"You still haven't used either solid or liquid manipulation. And yet, you've made it this far. That is smooth progress, wouldn't you say?"
"…"
"Nothing to say? Well, fine. I'm looking forward to seeing you kill All Might."