"As long as you perform well, you'll be one step closer to becoming a pro Hero!"
"The value of being admitted to the Hero Course finally shines through at times like these!"
"There's no reason to waste such a rare opportunity!"
The classroom buzzed with energy the moment Aizawa Shouta left. Any lingering fear from the League of Villains' attack had been replaced by sheer excitement about the upcoming U.A. Sports Festival.
"I envy you, Shoji," Kaminari Denki grinned, slapping the towering Mezo Shoji on the back. "Just your size alone is enough to make you stand out on the field!"
"It's useless if you don't show your true worth," Shoji replied calmly, adjusting his mask.
As chatter filled the room, Kirishima Eijiro turned towards Uchiha Madara, a bright, eager look in his eyes. "Yo, Uchiha! Got any Hero offices in mind?"
Madara, seated near the window, looked up from his book lazily.
"Sports Festival's all about showing off your real power, right? And you, man, you're like a walking cheat code!" Kirishima laughed. "That Hypnosis thing you pulled off… knocking out a crowd of villains like that? Insane!"
"Tch," Bakugo Katsuki scoffed from the next row, crossing his arms. "Hypnosis? Hah. Doesn't count if you don't crush 'em yourself. Fists are all that matter!"
Kirishima raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? You think you can make a whole squad pass out in an instant?"
"I could blast 'em all to pieces before they even know what hit 'em!" Bakugo snapped, slamming a fist into his palm. "Just watch—at the Sports Festival, I'll take first place!"
"…Bakugo-san is as enthusiastic as ever…" Uraraka Ochaco mumbled, forcing a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood, but her voice was quickly swallowed by the heated discussions.
"But seriously," Uraraka turned toward Madara, her curiosity getting the better of her, "do you have a Hero office you want to join?"
"Yeah, yeah, let's hear it!" Kaminari chimed in. "Bet a ton of offices will be after you once they see what you can do!"
Madara closed his book slowly, his gaze distant.
"What office do I want…"
Behind them, Midoriya Izuku listened silently, his hands gripping his notebook tightly. His eyes flickered between Madara and the desk. The memory of that day—of Madara crushing villains without a flicker of hesitation—still haunted him.
That… wasn't just a Quirk.
Midoriya swallowed hard. He couldn't shake the fear gnawing at his chest.
The rest of the afternoon classes flew by in a blur of half-hearted lessons and whispered conversations about the Sports Festival.
By the time the final bell rang, the students of Class 1-A were packed and ready to leave—until a sudden commotion echoed outside the door.
Iida Tenya, ever the class representative, strode toward the noise and opened the door. His eyes widened.
The hallway was packed. Students from other classes—General Studies, Support Course, Business Course—had gathered, blocking the way out entirely.
"Why… are you all here?" Iida asked, blinking in confusion.
"To check out the competition, obviously," a voice answered coolly from the back of the crowd.
Bakugo Katsuki shoved past Iida without a care, slinging his bag over one shoulder. "What, you losers here to get a peek before the big day?" he spat, glaring at the crowd. "Not like it'll help. You'll still get wrecked."
"Tch. Arrogant brat."
A tall boy with pale purple hair and sharp eyes stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
"We heard Class 1-A fought real villains… figured we'd come see for ourselves what the hype was about."
Hitoshi Shinso.
Madara recognized him immediately—one of the few students in U.A. with a brainwashing Quirk. A sharp contrast to his calm exterior, Shinso's reputation for bluntness and provocation was well known, even outside his class.
"There are plenty of us who got shoved into General Studies or Support just because we didn't cut the Hero Course," Shinso continued, his gaze locked on Bakugo. "But the school gave us a chance—excel at the Sports Festival, and we could be transferred in."
The crowd around him murmured in agreement.
"So yeah… enemy recon, declaration of war… call it whatever you want," Shinso smirked faintly. "But if you're feeling too high and mighty, don't be surprised when you get toppled by one of us."
Before Bakugo could shoot back, another voice cut in—loud, frustrated.
"Oi! I'm from Class B next door!" a white-haired boy called out, stepping beside Shinso with a scowl. "We thought we'd ask about that villain attack, but look at this attitude! Think you're better than us 'cause you survived?"
The hallway was heated with jeers and challenges. Students pressed in tighter, some smirking, others glaring.
And it was all because of Bakugo's words.
"I heard one of you has a Hypnosis Quirk," Shinso said suddenly, eyes sweeping over the crowd until they landed on Madara. "Guess that's you, huh?"
The hallway fell silent.
Madara stepped forward, his expression perfectly neutral, until he stood beside Bakugo.
"What's this?" he asked coolly, staring down at Shinso.
"It's impressive, isn't it?" Shinso's lips curled slightly, his voice low and challenging. "Getting into Class A with a Quirk like that… must've taken some luck."
Shinso's tone was calm, but the provocation in his words was sharp enough to cut steel.
Of course, Madara knew exactly what this was. Shinso, with his Brainwashing Quirk, had lived in the shadow of Hero hopefuls with flashy, offensive abilities. To him, Madara's Hypnosis was a mirror—a rival power, similar yet completely different.
But Madara… didn't care.
"If you want to know why I got into Class A," Madara said, slinging his bag over his shoulder, "the Sports Festival will answer that for you."
He glanced at the crowd. "Now, move. You're in my way."
Shinso raised an eyebrow, folding his arms. "Hmph. The higher you stand, the harder you fall. I'm looking forward to it, Uchiha Madara."
Madara met his gaze for a long moment… then walked past him without another word.
The crowd slowly parted, eyes following Madara's back as he walked down the hall, unfazed.
Kirishima let out a low whistle. "Man… that guy's got guts."
Bakugo snorted. "Tch. Hypnosis freak."
Behind them, Midoriya Izuku exhaled shakily. Why do I get the feeling… the Sports Festival won't be normal this year?
In truth…
The festival wasn't just a competition.
For many, it was a stepping stone to glory.
For others, a battlefield for grudges.
But for Uchiha Madara…
It was the perfect stage to show the world exactly who he was.