Chapter 38: The Champion's Reward!
The moment the Sports Festival ended, the stadium roared with cheers, but Izuku Midoriya barely paid attention. Standing atop the podium, basking in the golden glow of victory, he only had one thought:
'That was fun.'
Izuku walked past the crowds that cheered for him, their cheering reached a crazed high pitch, practically higher than the average limit of a human capable of hearing.
It was so loud that it became quiet.
Izuku jumped around, giving the crowds high-fives with a body language full of energy.
"Dude is totally different when fighting..." a man in his early 30's muttered.
"Yeah, most fighters enter a" battle mode", he's one of them."
"Remind me not to bring my girlfriend here... Ever again. she dumped me for him..."
"Skill issue, couldn't be m— wait... Karla? Why are you looking at the kid like that?! He's a minor!"
"W-Wha — shut up! I didn't do anything! These pictures are memorial, MEMORIAL!"
Izuku opened the door and entered, leaving the crowd behind him.
The noise stopped.
His expression changed into a calm one, his previous smile wiped.
He did it, he is the number one.
However, he wanted to check on Shoto, he felt somewhat worried about him.
As for Bakugo? Not so much.
Izuku felt conflicted about the explosive blonde.
One moment he is a good friend, the next he is a horrible person, pick a side already!
Such a person is exhausting.
Nonetheless, Izuku grabbed his phone and headed to the nursery, going to check on Shoto.
As to why he grabbed his phone? Well, it was to record their expressions of pain for future teasing (blackmailing).
'Time to collect some souvenirs.'
===
With a relaxed stride, Izuku entered the infirmary, the scent of antiseptic filling the air. Recovery Girl huffed at the sight of him.
She didn't even have the energy to deal with him.
"You don't need healing. Get out," she spat with venom.
"Not here for healing," Izuku said, flashing his best innocent grin. "Just visiting a couple of dear friends."
His eyes landed on Shoto first. The half-and-half prodigy lay still, bandages wrapped around his arms, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Shoto, You awake?"
Shoto turned his head slightly, blinking in exhaustion. "...Midoriya?"
"Yep," Izuku said, already pulling out his phone. "Say cheese."
The camera flashed multiple times.
Shoto blinked again. "...What are you doing?"
Izuku ignored the question, scrolling through his shots. The angle was perfect—Shoto's blank stare, his messy hair, the sheer defeat in his expression.
Beautiful.
"Nice," Izuku muttered. "This one's going into the archives."
Shoto exhaled through his nose. "Why?"
"For future use," Izuku said cryptically before pocketing his phone. Then, he turned to Bakugo.
Bakugo was in worse shape. Strapped to the bed, his arms covered in burn marks and bandages, his face was frozen in a permanent scowl, leg held by a casket.
Izuku smirked. "Bakugo~"
No response.
He leaned closer, whispering, "I'm taking pictures."
Bakugo twitched. His fingers clenched slightly.
Izuku snapped a few more shots, making sure to capture every angle. The fury, the humiliation, the absolute misery on Bakugo's face—
It was art.
"Rest up, guys! We've got plenty of school left."
Shoto just sighed. He was too depressed to retort.
Bakugo made a strangled noise, but he was too weak to explode.
Izuku laughed, chewing on a pack of gums that he stole from Bakugo, he wiped his greasy fingers on Bakugo's orthopedic cast and left with a smug grin.
"..." X2
===
"Mom!" Izuku caught the speeding figure of his mother in a tight hug.
"Izukuuuuu," Inko's small figure hugged him like a squirrel.
"Easy there," Izuku chuckled, patting her head. "Come on, I gotta go face the music," he smiled fondly.
"Mhmm... Go get them!" Inko nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes and pushing him out.
"Roger that~"
Standing on the podium, Izuku barely listened as the announcer hyped up his victory. The crowd's cheers blurred together, a sea of admiration and disbelief.
Then, All Might stepped forward, a proud smile on his face.
"Young Midoriya," he said, voice booming. "You have fought with strength, determination, and heart. You have earned this victory—wear it proudly!"
The No. 1 medal gleamed as All Might placed it around Izuku's neck.
Izuku grinned. "Thanks, Sensei."
But the moment of triumph was cut short.
Without warning, All Might's fist crashed into Izuku's gut.
BOOM!
A shockwave rippled through the stadium, dust kicking up around them.
Izuku's feet slid back slightly.
The audience gasped.
Before Izuku could react—
BOOM!!
Another punch struck his side.
He barely had time to process it when—
BOOOOOMM!
A third blow hit his chest, sending out another explosion of force and wind.
Inko stared in horror at the sight.
Silence.
Izuku stood there, perfectly still, a hand lazily scratching his head.
"That's it?" he asked, grinning savagely.
All Might grinned.
The crowd erupted into chaos.
"He took those hits like nothing!"
"What the hell?!"
"What is Midoriya made of?!"
All Might raised Izuku's hand high into the air, his voice echoing across the stadium.
"This is my SUCCESSOR!!!"
The reporters, the pro heroes, the entire world watching—frozen in shock.
The internet exploded.
It was so bad that the servers shut down immediately.
Hundreds of millions of people began spreading the news like mad men.
But that was none of Izuku's concern as he simply left after receiving everything and showing off.
Why? Because he got something nice.
---
Main quest: Reach the finals in the sports festival. (Complete)
Reward: Mane-Mane No Mi.
Grants the user the ability to shape shift into anyone they touch, memorizing their appearances. The user can perfectly mimic their target's voice, height, and body shape, but they do not gain the target's abilities or strength.
Warning! Depending on the body you're shifting to, One for All can be influenced negatively.
Side quest: Win the sports festival by achieving the No. 1 status. (complete)
Reward: Boogie Woogie.
Grants the user the ability to swap their position with any target, works on both living and non-living matter.
Warning! Consumes 1% stamina with each use.
---
While Mane-Mane No Mi wasn't anything that boosted his strength, it allowed him flexibility.
This ability can be useful for spying and infiltration work.
The warning was understandable, as the ability of Mane-Mane No Mi can be dispelled by physical trauma so the chosen body can limit how much you can output.
Similar to how copying new bodies can affect Mr. 2's stretching abilities.
Unfortunately, it cannot be used to boost OFA above the user's limit.
Izuku imagined himself with the body of a giant and 100% of OFA at his disposal...
Strong. Enough to frighten the world.
Must be kept a secret at all costs.
As for the other ability, this was the thing that made Izuku truly excited.
This is an ability that is considered teleportation. An ability so strong it might be enough to destroy most opponents in hand to hand combat.
Combined with his weapon, Playful Cloud, he can't imagine himself losing!
'Too soon,' Banjo said, burping.
"..."
Izuku decided to ignore that.
As Izuku made his way back inside U.A., he felt a presence appear beside him.
"Hah! You're just getting too popular, brat, I barely passed the security!"
Izuku sighed. "Hello, Mirko."
The Rabbit Hero grinned, her wild energy practically radiating off her.
While most people would love to be chased by a woman like her begging for them to accompany her, Izuku wasn't.
Why? Because this is Mirko! A trouble making machine!
"You sure you don't wanna be my apprentice?"
Izuku gave her a deadpan look. "You mean training dummy."
"Same thing," she said, flashing her teeth.
"For the third time—no," Izuku said, shaking his head.
"Coward."
"I prefer 'smart.'"
Mirko snickered, slapping his back hard enough to send him forward a step.
'Give me patience.'
"Fine, fine. I'll get you eventually."
"No, you won't."
"We'll see."
Izuku sighed as she finally walked off, waving lazily over her shoulder.
She walked away with an exaggerated swagger, shifting her weight from one side to the other as she displayed her... Asset.
'GYAAAAAAAA—' Izuku directly cut he contact with the past users of OFA.
"..."
He rolled his eyes and left.
He stared at his phone, the massive influx of followers was overwhelming.
After All Might's deceleration, his followers count jumped from 3 million to 17 million, it is still climbing up at a scary rate.
He needed a social media manager, fast.
Until then, he'll not post anything.
But first—
Izuku grinned as he saw the 3 million yen that was added to his family bank account.
With this, he can hire a manager and go on a good date with Uraraka.
He hummed a tune as Endeavor was punching the wall in another location.
===
By the time the day ended, Izuku found himself in his mother's apartment inside U.A., sitting comfortably with his mother, Inko, and Toshinori Yagi.
Inko was practically glowing with pride. "My baby won the Sports Festival!"
Izuku took a sip of his drink. "Yehhup."
"I always knew you could do it!" she continued, eyes sparkling.
Toshinori chuckled. "You raised quite the champion, Miss Midoriya."
"I did, didn't I? Didn't I?!" Inko beamed, unknowingly invading Yagi's personal space, making the man blush.
"Y-y-yeah!"
Izuku leaned back, feeling a rare sense of warmth settle in his chest. It wasn't just victory. It was this—being here, surrounded by family.
The Sports Festival was fun.
But this?
This was home.
"Here," Izuku offered another refill of sake.
"O-oh... Right, thanks," Yagi extended his small cup, watching as Izuku began serving him.
"If I see that All Might guy...!" Inko clenched her fist, enraged.
He punched her kid! Not once, not twice but three times!!
While the crowd was happy for the declaration, she was fuming!
Yagi coughed out some blood, sweat dripping from his face.
"Oh my god! Are you okay, Yagi-kun!" she worriedly wiped with a handkerchief on his lips, her face showing a concerned frown.
Izuku chuckled as he witnessed Yagi's distressed expression.
"I'm okay... I'm okay, it happens..."
"Geez..." Inko frowned, pursing her lips.
A sight that Yagi found incredibly cute.
"Take a better care about your health, enough drinking."
"O-oh..."
Izuku stared at the two, feeling an odd sense of discomfort.
He felt like a third wheel within a date of a couple.
"Ahem," he got up, pulling out his phone. "I'm going to leave, I think my classmates are calling me," he made a quick excuse, speeding towards the door to wear his shoes and exit.
"Wait! You haven't eaten enough yet!"
"I'll be fine, you two finish your date!"
"D-D- date?! What date? This isn't a date!!"
"Boy!"
"Goodnight!"
Izuku bolted out, leaving the blushing due inside the apartment.
===
In a darkened chamber, deep within an underground lair, an eerie stillness filled the air. The only sound was the rhythmic beeping of life-support machines and the soft hum of monitors displaying endless streams of data.
A figure sat motionless in the center of the room, shrouded in darkness. Wires and tubes connected his decaying body to the machinery, sustaining his existence. All For One did not move, yet his presence alone made the very air feel suffocating.
A mechanical voice spoke from a nearby monitor. "Subject: Midoriya Izuku. Projected Growth Rate—Unacceptable."
All For One's lips curled slightly beneath his breathing mask. "Unacceptable, indeed," he murmured, his voice deceptively calm. His fingers twitched, flexing as if testing his control over the countless stolen Quirks at his disposal.
The screen displayed footage from the Sports Festival. Midoriya Izuku, victorious. Unscathed. Stronger than even his best projections had predicted.
"One For All is progressing too fast in his hands," All For One mused. "He adapts, overcomes, and learns far too efficiently. If left alone, he may very well reach a point beyond my control."
Silence. Then, the unmistakable sound of Kurogiri's warp gate igniting.
All For One's head tilted slightly. "It is time."
It was time to give the champion his reward.
Five massive containment units hissed open, revealing the High-End Nomu within. Their bodies twitched, spines shifting grotesquely as they awoke from their slumber. Their glowing red eyes locked onto the figure before them, awaiting orders.
Incomplete. That was the warning that Garaki offered.
They can follow simple commands, they have no personality and their cognitive ability is at the level of a common Webnovel reader.
All For One's voice remained eerily soft. "Kill him." he said, showing them a picture.
The Nomu stepped forward.
"Leave no trace, I want his mangled corpse on my table, I'll take my Quirk from his dead body."
===
"CONGRATULATIONS!" X16
Directly as Izuku stepped inside the door, he was met with countless confetti flying everywhere, balloons of all colors and a sign that read "1-A's champion!"
"You guys..." Izuku felt his throat tightening as multiple hands grabbed him in.
Laughter and chatter filled the common area. Izuku sat comfortably, a slice of cake on his plate as he scrolled through his phone. Invitations flooded his inbox—Endeavor's agency, Hawks, even Mirko had sent another offer.
These were online. The offline letters will probably fill his desk tomorrow...
"Say, where's Aoyama? He's been gone for a while now..." Uraraka asked, cake cream all over her cheeks.
"Girl..." Momo sighed, wiping her face.
It can't be helped, Uraraka just didn't care about her appearance in front of boys, always acting boyish.
Perhaps that's why Izuku chose her, he probably liked tomboys.
Or so Momo thought.
Uraraka giggled. "That tickles~"
"Now that you mention it, I don't see Iida anywhere as well, he just disappeared without a word a while ago, he said his mom called him for something," Tsu muttered, poking her lips and tilting her head quizzically.
"..." Izuku remained silent.
Stain. Izuku will deal with him later.
"She's really not giving up, huh?" Kaminari chuckled, peering over Izuku's shoulder.
He was sooooooo jealous.
The screen had multiple messages from a certain rabbit-themed hero.
"She just wants a punching bag," Jirou smirked.
Before Izuku could reply, everything changed.
A pressure unlike anything he had felt before crashed down upon him. His chest seized. His mind screamed.
DANGER SENSE.
It wasn't a warning.
It was a death sentence.
His fork snapped in half as his body moved before thought.
---
WARNING!
Mission alert!
Task: SURVIVE.
---
"GET DOWN!"
The very second he shouted, a black portal tore open in the center of the room.
A mechanical voice boomed through the emergency speakers. "INTRUDERS DETECTED. EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN ACTIVATED."
But it was too late.
They were already here.
The first thing to emerge was an arm. It was unnatural—elongated, covered in dark, sinewy muscle, fingers tipped with gleaming claws. Then came the eyes—dozens of them—red, glowing, predatory.
Five High-End Nomu stepped through the portal, their monstrous forms towering over the students, followed by the figure of another familiar Nomu called Kurogiri.
For a single, terrible second, time seemed to stop.
Then—
CARNAGE.
The floor exploded as a Nomu lunged at Izuku, its speed so overwhelming that the air boomed from its movement.
Izuku reacted first.
And with a whopping 50% of OFA...!
BOOOOOOM!!!
He blurred forward, slamming a fist into the Nomu's chest before it could reach him. The force sent a shockwave through the entire building, shattering windows. The Nomu was blasted backward, crashing into the wall—but it regenerated instantly.
Before Izuku could adjust, another Nomu was already attacking.
Its claws came for his throat—he dodged.
A third Nomu aimed for his spine—he twisted mid-air.
A fourth sent a shockwave that obliterated the furniture—he braced himself, shooting out through multiple walls.
"IZUKUU!!!!"
DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM! DUM! DUM!
[King Engine Activated]
A hand creeped out from the walls, followed by a glowing red light hidden by the dust.
His eyes turned blood red, his expression turned into that of a murderous machine.