Inquisitor

- Chapter: 43 -

Class 1-A sat in their prep room waiting for when they would enter the stadium for the sports festival.

"Is everyone good and ready?! The event's about to begin!!" Iida was running around, making sure all of the class was prepared. "Katsuo, you're sure you feel up to this, right?!"

Katsuo turned to Iida. All his bandages had been removed a few days before. "Yeah, I told you this already Tenya. I've been cleared and everything. No need to worry about me."

Iida seemed to be slightly relieved, despite the fact he had already asked the same question more than twelve times already. "If you're sure..."

Shoji, the student with multiple arms and the one who was teamed up with Todoroki during the first day of training, said "Wish I coulda worn my costume."

"They're not allowed, in the interest of fairness." Ojiro, a boy with a tail quirk, said.

Mineta seemed ticked off at that comment. "Then..." He pointed at Izumi and Katsuo. "Why do they get to wear theirs?!!"

Katsuo turned to look at Mineta when he made the comment, and Izumi was looking for a place to hide.

"We submitted forms and got approval to use our masks... nothing else." Katsuo explained. "Besides, these are really more for cosmetic purposes."

"Cosmetic my butt!!" Mineta yelled at Katsuo. "You're completely different when you put on that mask!!"

Katsuo looked at Mineta and smiled.

"WHAT'S WITH THAT LOOK?!"

Todoroki walked up to the two students. Izumi had found out that standing behind Katsuo seemed to work as a hiding place from Mineta, and was watching the events from behind him.

Katsuo looked at Todoroki and asked, "Todoroki, what is it?"

"Objectively speaking... we should be around the same level. The four of us." Todoroki looked at Katsuki when he said that. "That's why... I will beat you three."

Kaminari seemed excited. "Ooh!! A declaration of war between the strongest in the class?!"

Kirishima walked up to Todoroki and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, man, why pick a fight now?! We're about to go on..."

"I really don't care. I'm not pretending to be anyone's friend, here." Todoroki cut off Kirishima while he shook his shoulder to get Kirishima's hand off.

Katsuo looked at Todoroki. He looked at his eyes, and saw something in them. "Listen, Todoroki."

Todoroki looked at Katsuo.

"I don't know what you think you're doing... But, if you want to get to the top then I'm going to stand in your way and do everything in my power to not let you. I won't let you pass me." Katsuo walked past him and whispered in his ear. "Not until you're ready to actually try."

---

"THE FIRST YEAR STAGE!! THE STUDENTS ARE COMING OUT!!" Present Mic yelled into a microphone. "IT'S U.A.'S SPORTS FESTIVAL!! THE ONE TIME EACH YEAR... WHEN OUR FLEDGLING HEROES COMPETE IN A RUTHLESS GRAND BATTLE!! FIRST UP... YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT!! THE MIRACULOUS RISING STARS WHO BRUSHED OFF A VILLAIN ATTACK WITH THEIR STEELY WILLPOWER!! THE FIRST YEARS OF THE HERO COURSE!!"

From one of the tunnels leading into the stadium Class 1-A started walking out.

"IT'S CLASS A!! FOLLOWING CLASS B, IT'S CLASSES C, D, AND E OF GENERAL STUDIES...!! AND HERE COME THE SUPPORT COURSE CLASSES, F, G, AND H! AND THE BUSINESS COURSE..."