The Main Character - MHA AU

Chapter 17 - Overcoming Hurdles

"May our next fighters come out to the ring?"

Yeah, that's right. Here I am, Izuku Midoriya about to face one of UA's strongest students... Without a plan.

But oh well, we'll see how it goes, and so I set out through the tunnel.

Izuku, considering how many of your skills are on cooldown, I'm going to have to advise against that-

Emergency Quest!
(0/1) - Win Sports Festival

Rewards - ???

Well, that's convenient.

Izuku! You can't seriously be considering this, can you?!

Well...! S~ it's a quest...!

Quests are dangerous- Ah, you're still gonna do it so what's the point in arguing.

Damn right!

I soon begin to hear the voice of Present Mic invading my ears as it echoes through the tunnel, indicating my arrival.

"First through the tunnel, Izuku Midoriya! Words can't describe his power, could his flawless record in the festival be tainted this round?" I look to the stands to see Endeavour stood glaring at me.

Well.. I guess I can put on a show for our VIP.

"Our next contender! Shoto Todoroki! Half hot, half cold, will we finally see his full ability in this fight?" God, did his voice get louder for the semi-finals?!

Walking into the square, the only thing left to listen out for is the queue to begin, and with that I hear Present Mic give his signal.

"GO!"

Suddenly, I see the actions of Todoroki become obvious as he lifts his ice side, stomping a leg onto the ground sending a glacier my way, although it was moving slightly slower in my eyes allowing for a fast reaction.

To me? The answer was obvious as to how to dodge the incoming attack...

I jump.

What? I'm not gonna reveal combust impact immediately. I haven't even had time to test it! Do you think I'm some monster or something?

Below me, shards fly as the attack misses, stopping at the edge of the ring. Gravity then begins to act as I fall onto the glacier once again, but who am I to complain about obvious circumstances?

I allow myself to begin to slip down the side of the glacier... right to where Todoroki is stood. The shock on his face becomes imminent as I charge up an attack in my hand, specifically combust impact.

Okay so maybe I am a bit cruel.

I hold out my fist to my side and see as the area around it becomes more and more refracted, as though any heat or light was being sucked up to the ball of light red around my hand.

I'm about to land the punch as Todoroki launches another glacier, as well as several walls to make some space between us, creating one behind him for safety.

He'd definitely be needing that....

I send my charged punch straight to the glacier in front of me, a grin resting upon my face. My fist didn't even have a chance to touch the tip as heat was already dispersing along the presence of the threat.

Upon impact, the ball of light surrounding my fist spreads itself along the formation of the glacier, stopping just ahead of my opponent's first wall.

...And then it combusts, sending back any loose objects as melting ice is (almost) sent into the audience (courtesy of Cementoss).

Due to the sheer of the force, the first two ice walls are obliterated, melting a third and sending Todoroki back into his safety net.

This is where the show begins.

I land (quite gracefully might I say), before picking up Todoroki by the shirt. Cementoss almost intervening if not for Midnight preventing him.

I snarl at the boy in my hands, turning around before throwing him to the floor away from bounds.

"What the hell are you doing?! Do you think this is a game?" He scambles to regain his footing atop of the ice he created glaring at me.

"What are you on about?" He barks back. This would be the second time he's pissed me off this festival.

"Don't you realise? Everyone's been putting their all into this event, and here you are half-assing it! How dare you!" His features relax.

"So what?"

"You think you'll make it as a hero if you just half ass it all the time? You can save hundreds of lives, but you'll kill a hundred more if you continue to refuse using your fire, including your own! Can't you see you have frostbite?"

His expression once again sharpens, "I won't use his fire to win! I can get through this using only my ice." I laugh.

"Who's fire? I know you mean your father, but if he were in control you'd have been using it by now."

His only retort being, "You know nothing." Luckily I'm more sociable than he is, though.

"I know more than you think, and you'd be best listening to me, so pay attention to my words." I take a deep breath and puff out my chest, "It's your quirk, and your quirk alone! Do you hear that? It's YOUR quirk. Your quirk, not his!"

His eyes widen in shock, and seconds later the words register... As fire seeps out of his shoulder.

I chuckle, I'm screwed aren't I? "Finally ready for a decent fight?" The boy in front of me stood grinning, arm outstretched with fire clearly ready to fire.

In return, I reach to my head, pulling a slightly cold halo off of my head, holding it in front of my chest although I was preparing to throw it.

This time, Cementoss and Midnight prepare for an overwhelming attack, but not even they could prevent this.

I see fire leave the palm of my enemy's hand, and on instinct toss my halo. Obviously not towards my enemy, I'm not stupid, but instead to the floor bracing myself.

"Guardian Angel!"

Rather than the skill emitting the usual golden defensive glow around me, my halo disappears as white ice grows all around me mimicking the shape of what would seem to be a cube, completely boxing me in. Despite my passive skills keeping me from feeling the massive change in temperature, even I could tell the space inside had easily reached below zero degrees.

I couldn't feel the fire as it passed, but after what seemed to be 30 seconds the cube fades into nothingness as my halo re-appears in its usual spot.

In-front of me, I see Todoroki breathing heavily, clearly panting as he begins to collapse showing symptoms of quirk overuse, I jump over and catch him as he falls.

Silence...

And then I hear deafening cheers across the stadium while I'm still confused whether it's because I caught him or due to that catch.

Present Mic yells something something as I move my attention to Endeavour in the stands showing sadness, guilt and an emotion somewhat representing remorse.

Stretchers come out to collect the unconscious boy as I place him on them, ready to walk out as I see my new skills in the corner of my vision, although I didn't dare pay attention to them right now while I'm trying my best not to even trip over my own shoes, finally collapsing in a chair mid-tunnel.

Looks like I'm out of stamina, huh...?

__