"I'm sorry."
Ida adjusted the frame of his glasses, his voice crisp and determined. "Midoriya-kun, you might think Bakugo, Tsutsumi, or Todoroki are your only rivals, but in this Sports Festival, I intend to prove that I am your rival as well."
Without waiting for a reply, he strode toward Todoroki, who stood with Momo, not a hint of hesitation in his step.
On the other hand, Uraraka fidgeted nervously. "Ah, um… sorry, Deku-kun. Tsu-chan already invited me, so…" She bowed her head in quick apology before hurrying away, unsure if pairing with Midoriya would really help her progress.
"Ah, um, then, I…" Midoriya's words stumbled over themselves, his throat tightening. He hadn't expected two of the people closest to him to immediately side with others.
For a moment, he stood frozen, completely lost. Around him, other classmates exchanged uncertain glances. It wasn't that they disliked him, but when Midoriya insisted on being the rider, hesitation flickered in their eyes. His lack of control over his Quirk was still too glaring.
Midoriya clenched his fists.
I need to find a team. Now.
No, no! I can't waste time! I'll have to join someone, anyone!
He forced himself to scan the crowd, ready to throw away pride and ask. But before he could move-
"Hey. Want to join my team?"
His chest eased with relief. "Ah, ye-"
The words cut off. Midoriya's body lurched without warning, as if an invisible hand had seized control.
While the other teams were still scrambling with their setups, Tsutsumi's team had already finished theirs, with Jiro, of all people, as the rider.
Shoji took the heavy role, his massive frame supporting both Jiro and Tokoyami with ease. Since they carried over ten million points, Jiro's job was simple: stay light, steady, and guard the headband. Tokoyami focused on defense, Dark Shadow looming at her side, while Shoji's many arms not only lifted them but also formed barriers when needed.
Tsutsumi, however, had other ideas. Being the highest-value target made him enemy number one, and if everyone wanted to treat him like a villain, he decided he might as well play the part.
"Is everyone secured tightly?" Tsutsumi called, glancing back. Shoji's multiple arms had formed a platform for Jiro and Tokoyami, then spread outward to create a protective dome around them.
Within the shadow Shoji cast, Tokoyami's Quirk thrived, Dark Shadow swelling stronger, further reinforcing their defense.
"As best as we could," Jiro replied, still uneasy at suddenly being thrust into the rider's spot.
"And you, Tsutsumi-kun?" Shoji asked, noticing he wasn't joining them inside the dome.
Tsutsumi waved the concern away. "It's fine. Midnight said we can use our Quirks, remember?"
A glint of mischief sparked in his eyes as he casually pulled out a card.
Attack Ride: Yusei Go!
With a shimmer of energy, a sleek red motorcycle materialized at his side. But he didn't stop there. Another card slid between his fingers.
Attack Ride: Toracandroid!
The bike transformed in a burst of mechanical roars, becoming Kamen Rider OOO's ToRidevendor. Its oversized front wheel split open into twin claws, and the machine let out a guttural growl like a living beast.
The sound turned heads immediately. Even his own teammates froze, staring wide-eyed at the bizarre sight of a bike that roared like it had lungs.
Tsutsumi didn't spare them a second glance. With a smirk, he swung a leg over and gripped the handles like he was born for it.
"Hop on and hold tight, Shoji."
Snapping out of his shock, Shoji quickly leapt on behind him, sprouting even more arms to secure their hold.
"All right! Have you all formed your little teams?! You'd better have!" Yamada's voice boomed across the stadium. "Let's do this! Countdown to carnage, here we go!"
But while his hype echoed, every gaze in the arena was fixed on a single sight: Tsutsumi, sitting astride a roaring bike in what was supposed to be a human cavalry battle.
A motorcycle, in a game meant for legs.
The crowd erupted immediately, voices rising in outrage. "That's cheating!" "Unfair!" "Disgraceful!"
Aizawa's brow twitched in annoyance before he leaned toward the mic. "That bike is part of Tsutsumi Ryoko's Quirk. It's legal. If you don't like it, leave. U.A. doesn't take kindly to anyone slandering its students."
The protests died instantly.
"Yo, Shota," Yamada chuckled, his trademark grin in place. "Didn't think you had a soft spot for your problem child."
Aizawa rolled his eyes. "This isn't favoritism. Tsutsumi Ryoko may be troublesome, but he has potential. This event is about students using their Quirks to the fullest. Restricting him because some spectators think it's 'unfair'?" His tone dropped cold, sharp enough to cut the silence. "That would insult not only him but every other participant. Heroes face all kinds of powers in the real world. If you can't handle that… do you even deserve to be called hero material?"
The hush that followed spread not only through the stands but across the field itself. Even the students who'd grumbled about Tsutsumi's bike suddenly bit their tongues.
Tsutsumi blinked, caught off guard. Of all people, Aizawa standing up for him wasn't on his bingo card. Still, his smirk returned as Yamada's countdown began.
"Three! Two! One… START!"
The moment the signal rang out, chaos exploded. Dozens of teams charged forward, straight at Tsutsumi's team. Ten million points was too tempting a prize.
"In essence, this is a battle for those ten million points!" Present Mic shouted.
Tsutsumi only grinned, revving his engine. The bike reared back fluidly like a wild beast, then let out a thunderous roar.
The sound alone made several teams hesitate.
And then it lunged.
"Let's roll!" Tsutsumi snarled, plowing through the nearest group. The unfortunate team scrambled, but human legs couldn't outrun a motorcycle. They toppled like bowling pins as Shoji's long arm snatched their headbands clean, passing them back to Jiro.
"Ryo, don't you think this is a little much?" Jiro winced, watching her teammate casually mow down students.
"Relax," Tsutsumi replied, tone maddeningly casual. "I'm not even at full speed. This is still slow."
As if to prove his point, another team was flung seven meters into the air, screaming before crashing down.
"They'll feel it, sure. But Recovery Girl can patch 'em up." He smirked. "Well… unless they die. But hey, not my fault." And with that, he ran down another team.
Compared to the zero-point robots threatening to crush students earlier, this was practically merciful.
It didn't take long for the battlefield to shift. The supposed prey, the ten-million-point target, had become the hunter. Teams scattered in panic, desperately avoiding the beast on wheels. Even Bakugo and Todoroki pulled back.
"Shouldn't we stop him?" Mina squeaked, paling as she watched Mineta's team get sent cartwheeling through the air.
"No," Bakugo snapped, steering his team hard away. "We secure second place first. Tsutsumi's not weak like that damn Deku."
He grit his teeth. He could risk an all-out assault, but after losing to Tsutsumi before, he knew better. A reckless charge could cost him all his headbands, and maybe his team's ability to stand afterward.
"Think you can outspeed that thing, Ida?" Todoroki asked, eyes narrowed, watching Tsutsumi carve chaos across the field.
"Maybe… but only briefly. After that, I'd be immobilized, leaving us wide open," Ida admitted, pushing his glasses up nervously.
"Could your ice freeze it?" Momo asked, concern flickering in her voice.
Todoroki's gaze lingered on the roaring machine. "He still has his flying board. And who knows what other tricks. For now, we keep our distance."
Cool words, but his eyes never left the ten million points.
...
Thirty seconds before the event ended.
"Well, isn't this interesting?" Tsutsumi smirked, his bike idling like a predator ready to pounce. On his right stood Bakugo's team, sparks already crackling. On his left, Todoroki's team, ice crawling over the ground.
"Where are the other three?" Tsutsumi teased, voice light but eyes sharp. "Isn't this supposed to be the famous five-on-one, righteous gang-up?"
His teammates tensed, sweat pricking at their brows. Tsutsumi, of course, looked utterly amused.
"Do you think I'm some kind of idiot, huh, Tsutsumi!?" Bakugo roared, murder in his voice, though he forced himself to hold back from charging recklessly.
"That depends," Tsutsumi drawled. "Are you gonna act on it?"
"You bastard!" Bakugo snarled, but before he could move, a surge of ice ripped across the ground, racing toward Tsutsumi's team.
With a roar, the beast-like motorcycle leapt skyward, vaulting over the frozen wave. Tsutsumi's eyes locked on Todoroki, his smirk widening.
"So between you and Bakugo… looks like you're the idiot."
He revved the engine, and the bike lunged straight for Todoroki's team.
"Ida!" Todoroki barked.
"Recipro Burst!"
The engines on his flesh flared to life. In an instant, Todoroki's team rocketed forward at blinding speed, a head-on collision course with Tsutsumi and his team.
"Dumbasses," Tsutsumi muttered, almost impressed.
"Lock up." He commanded, and Shoji quickly created more arms to hold on tightly to Jiro and Tokoyami. His bike spun, tires screeching as the machine whirled like a cyclone.
The crash was brutal. Todoroki's team slammed into the spinning mass of steel, bodies scattering across the ground. In the chaos, Shoji and Tokoyami struck like hawks, snatching headbands and padding their lead even further.
The bike skidded into a dramatic drift, kicking up ice shards as it came to a stop. Tsutsumi glanced back, watching Todoroki's team stagger, trying to get back up, bruised and battered from their own reckless gamble.
Then-
BOOM!
The sky split with an explosion. Bakugo was already airborne, spinning like a human drill, propelling himself straight at Tsutsumi.
Tsutsumi's grin sharpened.
Final Attack Ride: A-A-A-Agito!
A glowing Agito crest flared beneath his feet. He launched upward, his rider kick aimed directly at Bakugo's furious charge.
The arena held its breath, every eye locked on the collision between the first and second place.
But before impact-
"TIME'S UP!"
The announcement cracked like a whip. Both fighters shifted midair, twisting to divert their killing blows. They landed hard, sliding across the ground before grinding to a stop.
The crowd erupted in outrage, boos and shouts demanding the clash continue. The tension of an unfinished fight gnawed at them.
Tsutsumi dusted his palms off with an infuriatingly casual smile. "Looks like they're pretty mad."
Bakugo snarled, teeth bared, and Tsutsumi tilted his head lightly to glance his way.
"I'm not interested in the noise of extras." His smirk turned razor-sharp. "Just don't you dare lose before our final match."
Midnight's voice rang out across the stadium.
"And now, the results! The four teams advancing to the next round are…"
A beat of suspense.
"First place, Team Jiro!"
The drone camera swooped in, capturing Shoji, Tokoyami, Jiro, and Tsutsumi as they posed, well, three of them posed. Tsutsumi leaned casually on his bike while the others, seeing the bike hadn't disappeared yet, quickly posed beside it, all three of them finding it really cool.
Jiro puffed her cheeks. "I feel like I was just a mascot out there. All I did was hold the headbands while you guys actually fought."
Tokoyami turned to her, his voice calm and earnest. "Do not belittle your role. Guarding our points was crucial."
Shoji nodded. "We each carried our weight in different ways. You did your part."
Tsutsumi smirked. "Took you long enough to realize."
Her boot connected with his side after he finished. "Shut up, Ryo!"
The crowd chuckled at the scene as Midnight continued.
"Second place, Team Bakugo!"
Bakugo, Kirishima, Ashido, and Sero stepped forward for their picture.
"Hey, second place isn't bad at all, right, Bakugo?" Kirishima grinned.
Bakugo's eyes twitched. "Shut it, Weird Hair!"
Ashido crossed her arms, pouting. "That motorcycle was so unfair…"
"Yeah," Sero shrugged, grinning. "But you gotta admit, that bike was sick."
"Third place, Team Shinso!"
Shinso stood tall in the center, a sly smile tugging at his lips. Around him, Midoriya, Ojiro, and a Class 1-B student wore varying shades of confusion, unsure how they'd even get third place.
"And finally, fourth place, Team Todoroki!"
The camera panned to Todoroki, Ida, Momo, and Kaminari. Todoroki's expression was carved from ice, his mismatched eyes narrowing at Tsutsumi and Bakugo.
Behind him, his teammates winced, still nursing bruises from their earlier crash. Momo clenched her jaw, Kaminari groaned, and even Ida struggled to stand tall, though his hand never left his glasses.