Chapter 100: The School Festival Begins
One week later, Aoi was getting ready to leave for the school festival. The morning light filtered through the curtains of his bedroom, casting soft golden streaks across the floor. He stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his uniform, making sure everything looked sharp. The house was quiet except for the distant sound of Eri's laughter from the living room and the faint clatter of dishes as Rei prepared breakfast. Rei appeared in the doorway, watching him with a warm, proud smile.
—Don't worry, son. I'll cheer for you from here.
Aoi, seeing this, sighed softly and turned to her.
—Sorry for having to make you stay home with Eri, Mom. But going to a place full of cameras isn't very good because Chisaki is still looking for Eri.
Rei, hearing this, smiled gently and stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on his arm.
—Don't worry about that, son. I know I have to stay here for Eri, but that doesn't stop me from cheering for you and your brother on TV.
Aoi gave her a small, grateful smile.
—Well, thank you very much. I'm leaving soon because Nemuri and Rumi went earlier to work at the site and start the patrol.
Rei nodded, her eyes softening.
—And your plan—has All Might already agreed to help Rumi?
Aoi's smile widened slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his expression.
—Yes, he agreed to help her. Now everything is under control. And this week I even started implanting the New Order into the bacteria. Soon they'll be ready to be launched on Jupiter to solidify the planet's weight and gravity. So all the plans are running smoothly, without any setbacks.
Rei smiled, her pride evident.
—So everything is happening correctly. It's good to know that. So, son, be careful and don't hurt anyone at the school festival.
Aoi picked up the motorcycle keys from the dresser, the metal cool against his palm.
—Yes, Mom. I'll be careful.
He then left the house, the front door clicking shut behind him. The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew and distant ocean salt. He walked to the garage, uncovered his motorcycle, and swung a leg over it. The engine roared to life with a low, powerful growl as he pulled out onto the street and began driving toward the school. The wind whipped past him, tugging at his jacket as he accelerated.
Aoi thought:
—But who would have thought... After putting all my plans in order, I can enjoy this school festival. The only thing I'm grateful for is that Mineta won't be clinging to Momo. Unless he's in Class B. If he is, I just feel sorry for the girls in Class B.
The ride was smooth at first—quiet suburban streets giving way to busier avenues, the city slowly waking up around him. Cars honked in the distance, pedestrians hurried along sidewalks, and the sun climbed higher, warming the air. Aoi's mind wandered as he rode, the hum of the engine a steady background to his thoughts.
After some time, Aoi finally arrived at the school. The place was alive with movement—students from all classes milling about, banners fluttering in the breeze, vendors setting up stalls, and the distant sound of announcements crackling over speakers. Colorful flags lined the entrance, and groups of excited teenagers laughed and chatted as they headed toward the main grounds.
Aoi looked at the place full of people moving around and said quietly to himself:
—When they said it was like the Olympics, I didn't take it seriously. I didn't think they were this desperate for sports.
He parked the motorcycle in the designated area, locked his helmet to the bike, and headed toward the classroom. The halls were buzzing—students rushing past with excitement, teachers giving last-minute instructions, the air thick with anticipation.
Arriving there, Aizawa, who saw Aoi arriving, said angrily:
—Aoi, today is the day of the sports festival. How can you arrive late on the very day?
Aoi smiled apologetically.
—Sorry, teacher. It wasn't my intention.
Aizawa sighed tiredly and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
—Hurry up and get in. Everyone's in the waiting room.
Aoi, hearing this, said:
—I understand, teacher. I'm going.
Aizawa, seeing this, just thought tiredly:
—Why did all the problem students in this school have to end up in my class?
Aoi entered the waiting room where everyone was gathered. The room was filled with nervous energy—students stretching, chatting quietly, adjusting their uniforms. He smiled and said:
—Well, I arrived, everyone.
Lida, seeing Aoi, said with a serious face:
—Aoi, where were you? We were thinking you weren't coming today. It's a very important day, understood?
Aoi, hearing this, scratched his head sheepishly.
—Sorry. Yesterday I stayed in my lab until late solving some things. I ended up not paying attention to the time and went to sleep late.
Momo, hearing this, approached him and said:
—Well, you're really scatterbrained. On the day of the festival, you do this.
Aoi, hearing this, hugged her gently and said:
—Let me recharge a bit of my Momo energy.
Momo, hearing this, ruffled his hair and said:
—What Momo energy, you idiot.
Mina and Uraraka, seeing this, smiled.
Bakugou, seeing them playing around, said:
—I don't know about you guys playing around, but I'm going to beat all of you here and be number 1.
He looked at Aoi and said:
—Got it, fish head? You'd better not play in this tournament or I'll drop you from the arena without you even seeing it.
Izuku said:
—Kacchan, calm down. We're all friends.
Bakugou said:
—We're not friends in the competition. Only one can win this festival. I intend for it to be me.
Shoto, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, said:
—He's right. That's why I'm also going after number 1. So, brother, if you don't take care, I'll drop you.
Lida said:
—Calm down, everyone. We're not all friends.
Kirishima said smiling:
—Yes, precisely because we're friends that we can't go easy. Everyone here is fighting for their dreams. Going easy here is a disrespect to all the effort and training that got us here.
Everyone got excited about this and agreed, the room filling with renewed determination.
At that moment, Aoi looked at them and asked:
—So you're saying I should take you seriously? Do you realize what you're asking?
Bakugou smiled and said:
—I realize that you, you conceited guy, are very strong. But if I'm going to compete and lose, I want to compete and lose against an opponent who isn't playing with my face.
He then looked at the rest of the class and asked:
—Do you guys think the same way?
Tsuyu said:
—Yes, Aoi. If we're going to lose, let it be with you taking it seriously. Everyone here is fighting for our dreams of becoming heroes. We may not be that strong, but we want you to take our challenge seriously.
Momo looked at Aoi and said:
—That goes for me too. Don't think about going easy on me.
Aoi smiled and said:
—Then so be it, you stubborn ones. I'll take this seriously out of respect for everyone's effort.
He then looked at them and said:
—So let's use your wisdom, quirks, and intelligence to try to take first place from my hands.
Bakugou smiled wildly and said:
—You can bet I'm going to take first place. It can only be mine!
At that moment, Aizawa entered and said:
—Let's go. It's starting.
They nodded and followed Aizawa, the group moving as one toward the arena, the air crackling with anticipation and resolve.