Chapter 38: The Representative's Pledge
"THE U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL! A FIERCE, DO-OR-DIE BATTLE WHERE THE SEEDLINGS OF HEROES WILL CLASH! IT'S THE ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN, HELD ONCE A YEAR!"
"AND THE ONES YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR, RIGHT!? THE MIRACLE RISING STARS WHO WERE ATTACKED BY VILLAINS BUT OVERCAME THE ORDEAL WITH WILLS OF STEEL! HERO COURSE, CLASS 1-A!"
Midoriya looked at the cheering crowd around him and couldn't help but swallow nervously. "There are so many people... Are we really going to compete in front of this many...?"
"Calm down. The ability to perform at your best in front of a crowd is a necessary quality for a hero," Tenya Iida said, his eyes fixed forward as he marched with perfect posture toward the center of the stadium.
Kirishima gave a nervous laugh. "Present Mic-sensei is really hyping us up... Hey, Bakugo, are you nervous?"
"Nervous my ass! I'm so excited I could go on a goddamn killing spree!"
"N-No, I'm pretty sure that's not allowed..." Kirishima said, breaking into a cold sweat.
"UP NEXT, A CLASS WITH SLIGHTLY LESS BATTLE EXPERIENCE, BUT STILL PACKED WITH HEAVY HITTERS—HERO COURSE, CLASS 1-B!"
Present Mic's gaze shifted to Class 1-B, who were emerging from another tunnel. "They may not have experienced a real battle yet, but will they be able to seize the honor they deserve at this year's Sports Festival!?"
"AND NOW, THE GENERAL STUDIES COURSES, CLASSES C, D, and E! THE SUPPORT COURSE, CLASSES F, G, and H! AND THE MANAGEMENT COURSE, CLASSES I, J, and K! THE ENTIRE U.A. FIRST-YEAR CLASS HAS ENTERED THE ARENA!"
The large stadium was circular. Hero Course classes 1-A and 1-B each had their own entrance, while the General, Support, and Management courses poured out from three other tunnels, gathering below the central stage.
And on that stage stood the R-Rated Hero, Midnight.
Traditionally, the principal was responsible for the grand third-year event, while the hosts for the other two grade levels were the Hero Basic Training teachers for that year. By both tradition and popularity, the host should have been All Might.
Kira glanced toward the commentary booth. The first-year faculty members were seated in the back right, but he couldn't see them clearly from his angle. He had no idea if All Might was even there.
Most of the people who had come to the first-year stadium had done so hoping to catch a glimpse of All Might. They were initially disappointed by his absence, but the school's choice of Midnight as a replacement was a stroke of genius. She was wearing a tight, sexy outfit that looked like it could be torn off at any moment, complete with black garter stockings. In terms of sheer eroticism, she had Mt. Lady beat by a mile, and her presence completely suppressed any potential unrest from the crowd.
"What is Midnight-sensei wearing...?" Kirishima blushed at the overly sensual costume. He couldn't imagine that the same teacher who was so professional in the classroom would be this... open.
"Is it really okay for an R-Rated Hero to be teaching at a high school...?" the usually stoic, raven-headed Fumikage Tokoyami muttered, a rare moment of snark.
"Is the school sure about letting her host this event...? This is being broadcast live," Kira worried.
But listening to the roaring cheers from the audience, it seemed this pairing was exactly what they wanted.
"SILENCE!" The whip in Midnight's hand cracked, a blur of motion that reminded the cheering crowd that despite her revealing attire, she was a powerful hero.
Satisfied that the crowd had quieted down, Midnight spoke into the microphone in a business-like tone. "For the athlete's pledge, from Class 1-A, Yoshikage Kira!"
As was tradition, before the competition began, an outstanding student representative had to come on stage to give a speech. It was a ceremony that should have happened at the entrance ceremony but had been postponed until now.
The grandstand was directly in front of Kira. He walked onto the stage and, just as he was about to speak into the microphone, he felt the folded piece of notepaper in his pocket.
Yesterday, the Student Council had held another meeting to check on each class's work progress. The final results were satisfactory; everything had been completed a day before the festival. Kira had heard from the other classes that Kirishima and the others had done a perfect job, greatly reducing the burden on various departments. Whether they were being sincere or not, they had certainly received praise.
Then, after the meeting, Erina had once again asked him and Momo to stay behind. While chatting intimately with Momo, she had tossed a speech draft to Kira and told him to memorize it for the pledge. The contents, needless to say, were the same old clichés about youth, friendship, and victory.
"Although I'm grateful you wrote a speech in my style, I don't think I'll be needing it."
"Ahem." Kira cleared his throat and began. "I am grateful to all of our esteemed guests for taking the time to watch this year's Sports Festival. As the class president of the Hero Course and the student representative, I am deeply honored..."
Huh. He's not trying to pull anything. Is he really going to give the speech I wrote for him? Erina Nakiri stood at the highest point of the venue, watching the eloquent Yoshikage Kira on the big screen with some surprise.
In her impression, this Yoshikage Kira was the type who loved to do the unexpected.
For example, she had learned from Momo that she had only been acting on Kira's instructions; she wasn't the "brains" of the class at all. Momo had even said self-deprecatingly that the villains probably didn't even know her name.
At Momo's request, Erina had pretended she hadn't been told anything and had been silently laughing at Kira in her heart.
Is he really going to read from the script? As Erina felt a sense of relief, she also, for some reason, felt a twinge of disappointment.
"...and let us bring this Sports Festival to a successful conclusion in the spirit of friendly competition," Kira said, finishing the first half of the speech. He paused. "Everything I just said... was garbage."
"EHHHH!?" The students of Class 1-A were stunned, especially Midoriya. He had been listening to Kira's speech with great approval, nodding along, a feeling of excitement bubbling up inside him. He was fired up and ready for the competition to start.
But... after all that, he was now saying it was all garbage!?
"The passionate words I just spoke are nothing but tired clichés. History has proven that they do nothing but provide a little self-comfort and have no practical effect whatsoever."
Kira scanned the faces of the suddenly dumbfounded competitors. "Victory is victory; it requires no humility. Defeat is defeat; it will not be remembered. I don't care about winning or losing, because that would bring me trouble. But if I am forced to fight, I will not lose to anyone."
"Hey! You were doing so well just now! Why didn't you keep going!?" a student from the General Course shouted. The first half of Kira's speech had given him the feeling that as long as he tried his best, he would come away with a precious memory. But the second half was a bucket of cold water, telling him that that was just an illusion; a salted fish is still a salted fish, even if it flips over.
Although Kira hadn't said anything targeting a specific person, he had just shaken the resolve of the entire student body, indirectly declaring war on everyone.
"Kira, you've got some serious nerve!" Bakugo said, a wild grin spreading across his face. "But I like what you're saying. I'm going to use every single one of you as a stepping stone!"
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