- Fundamental Force - Male Reader x My Hero Academia

Chapter 25: Shield And Spear

(AN: Wanted to ask for some opinions about the general direction of the story. I have two paths in mind, and they aren't too different in the broad strokes especially for the first few arcs, but I'm sure some people would prefer one over the other. Both options will have [YN] remain a villain, that's not in question. We have either: A) The more morally grey route, or B) The schizo-genocide route. I won't give any more real detail about each route, but keep in mind that a lot more people in the main cast will die in one of these options. I'm sure you can guess which one...)

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[10:30 AM, Sports Festival Stadium, U.A. High School]

"Everyone here's so focused on Class A..." A voice murmured with a sneer, dripping with mockery. The words came from a boy with slicked, back blond hair, and an unsettling smirk, a Class B student. His eyes glinted with a strange look as he observed the eleven other teams across the arena, perched confidently atop his own squad, three students bracing him from below. Two unremarkable boys and on with skin as dark as the void. But he didn't look bothered. Not in the slightest.

"It's strange, isn't it?" He continued, his gaze sweeping over the arena, lingering on the students in Class A. "Like everyone else said, those Class A kids are so full of themselves. What makes them so different?" His words were barely audible over the roar of the crowd, but he spoke with a bitter sort of chuckle, his grin widening at the thought. "Just because they survived their first villain attack? Please. Let's show them what Class is made of..."

Todoroki's eyes were locked onto the field, her face impassive yet hardened, as if encased in frost. She stood on her team's base with a fierce determination, but the focus in her gaze was fractured, part of her attention elsewhere. Behind her, she could feel the weight of his presence. He sat up in the stands, watching her, his mere existence filling the air around her with an oppressive heat, like a smouldering ember she couldn't snuff out. She felt the burn even at this distance, a prickling reminder that he was there, observing, judging.

Her jaw tightened. It was always like this, that feeling, that infernal warmth seeping into her thoughts. She blinked, pushing the distraction away, forcing herself to focus. Midoriya's team was directly ahead, their banner of ten million points drawing everyone's eyes. But her gaze drifted to [L/N], their real obstacle, a force so formidable he didn't just play the game, he transformed it into something completely different...

[L/N], Midoriya, and Bakugo. She had singled out these three as her main adversaries from the start. Against Midoriya and Bakugo, she knew her force alone could potentially give her an edge. But [L/N]? No, he was different. Stronger. He carried himself with a level of intensity unmatched by any of her classmates. She had to admit, grudgingly, that he treated every match as a serious fight, with no room for error. In his own way, he respected the challenge, yet still he looked down on them, a confidence born from experience and strength she knew she had to match.

She took a deep breath. Her team selection wasn't an accident. Each of her chosen teammates was essential to her strategy.

On her left, Kaminari would hold off any incoming threats with a steady stream of electricity, creating a barrier against opposing teams.

On her right, Yaoyorozu could generate any tool they might need to unforeseen threats, countering moves with her creation Quirk.

Ida stood at the front, a tireless vanguard, his mobility and physical strength acting as both spear and shield.

She would cover their rear, using her frost to keep their opponents at bay. Yet, she'd only use her right side, not the left. Not ever the left. That part of her Quirk was his. She refused to use it, especially now, under his gaze. If she was going to win, it would be through her own power, not his.