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Chapter 67: The Glow of Victory
🕑 Added 2025-10-03 14:47:12 +0000 UTC"AND NOW, THE GRAND FINALE EVERYONE'S BEEN WAITING FOR!!" Present Mic's voice was a thunderclap, promising glory and an epic conclusion to an unforgettable day. "A DUEL BETWEEN TEAMMATES, BETWEEN FRIENDS, BETWEEN STRATEGISTS!! THE CREATION GENIUS, MOMO YAOYOROZU, VERSUS THE GRAVITY GODDESS, OCHAKO URARAKA!!"
The arena, miraculously rebuilt at lightning speed by Cementoss's Quirk, vibrated under a deafening ovation. Ochako and Momo stepped onto the stage from opposite ends. Their steps were firm, their faces a mixture of absolute concentration and deep mutual respect.
Is this right? Being here? Ochako thought, feeling the heat of the lights and the weight of a hundred thousand stares. Izuku is in the infirmary, hurt because of us… because of me. I should be there, making sure he's okay. But… my parents are watching. Everyone is. I have to see this through… don’t I?
Stay calm. The decision is made, Momo calculated, her mind a whirlwind of variables, but not of combat. A trophy is just a symbol, but what Izuku did… that was real. My family has expectations, I know. This victory would bring prestige. But our team's unity is more important. Loyalty is the foundation of a true hero. I just have to find the right moment.
They met in the center, not as enemies, but as the last two warriors of an epic battle. They looked into each other's eyes, and in that silence, they shared everything they didn't need to say: the sweat from training on the beach, the tension of the battles, the overwhelming pride for the path they had walked together.
"Good luck, Momo," Ochako whispered, a tense but sincere smile on her lips.
"Luck is an uncontrollable variable. May the best-prepared win, Ochako," Momo replied, her serene voice hiding the frantic beat of her own heart.
Midnight raised her whip, savoring the moment. The tension was almost a physical entity, palpable in the air.
"LET THE FINAL MATCH…!!"
Just as the word "BEGIN" was about to form on her lips, a clear and serene voice cut through the air.
"Judge Midnight."
Momo Yaoyorozu had raised a hand. The gesture was not one of doubt, but of an absolute certainty that silenced the stadium.
"I forfeit."
A silence of total, dense, and heavy shock fell over the stadium. The roar of a hundred thousand people was extinguished in an instant, replaced by a collective disbelief. Ochako stared at her, her brown eyes wide as saucers, unable to process the words.
"What? Momo, no! Why?!"
In the stands, Izuku straightened up in his makeshift seat, the pain in his ribs momentarily forgotten. Forfeit? No. That's not like her. Her logic… what’s the variable I’m not seeing?
"Ms. Yaoyorozu…" Midnight's voice sounded strangely hesitant, stripped of its usual seductive tone. "Are you sure? This is the final. The chance to be the festival champion. To prove your worth to the world."
Momo didn't waver. Her face lit up with a serene smile, one that was neither of victory nor defeat, but of a deep and quiet conviction.
"I am completely sure," she affirmed, her voice resonating in the silence. "Throughout this festival, my team and I have shown that strength doesn't lie in a single individual, but in our unity. My friend, my teammate, and my coach is injured in the infirmary because he carried us here. He fought until he broke to give us a chance. My priority right now isn't a trophy; it's being with him during his recovery and making sure he doesn't feel alone."
She turned to Ochako, who was looking at her with tear-filled eyes, beginning to understand the magnitude of her sacrifice. Momo took her hand, a firm and affectionate gesture, and raised it in the air, presenting it to the silent crowd.
"It doesn't matter to me which one of us holds the number one title, as long as it's one of us," she declared, her voice rising so the entire stadium could hear. "Ochako Uraraka's victory is our team's victory. It is my victory."
The stadium remained silent for another second, processing the incredible display of solidarity. And then, it erupted. It wasn't an ovation for a battle, but for something much greater. It was a roar of admiration, a thunderous applause for an act of heroism that required no Quirks or blows, only the power of a loyal heart.
"Momo…" Ochako sobbed, throwing herself into her friend's arms, clinging to her with a mixture of gratitude and awe. "You're… you're incredible."
"No," Momo whispered in her ear, returning the hug with equal force. "We're incredible. Now go get your medal. You've earned it."
"Winner by withdrawal!" Midnight announced, her voice thick with an emotion she couldn't hide, "and the champion of the U.A. first-year Sports Festival is… OCHAKO URARAKA!!"
While the U.A. staff prepared the podium for the awards ceremony, far from the crowd's cheers, reality followed its own relentless course. In Hosu General Hospital, Tenya Iida ran down a sterile white hallway. He stopped in front of a door, the smell of antiseptic filling his lungs. He took a deep breath, his hand trembling as he turned the knob, and entered. The camera focused on his face as it crumbled into a mask of horror, pain, and a nascent fury at the sight of his brother Tensei's broken body and vacant gaze in the bed.
Back in the stadium, the awards ceremony had a different air to it that year. All Might descended from the sky to present the medals, his smile brighter than ever.
The third-place podium was occupied by Shoto Todoroki. All Might hung the bronze medal around his neck.
"Young Todoroki, your power is immense," he said, his voice rumbling with sincerity. "But today, I saw you fight not only your opponents, but yourself. You fought more than one battle in that arena. Why, despite everything, do you seem more at peace?"
Shoto looked at the medal, then at the crowd, and finally at his own hands, one of ice and one of fire.
"Because I finally feel like the path to becoming a hero is mine," he answered, his voice quiet and clear. "And no one else's."
Next, All Might moved to the second-place step. Momo Yaoyorozu accepted the silver medal with an elegant bow.
"Young Yaoyorozu, your intellect is formidable, but your loyalty is your greatest strength," All Might told her, his voice full of respect. "A hero who only thinks of individual victory is just a strong fighter. But a hero who puts their team first, who understands that shared success is the only kind that truly matters… that is a true leader. Today, you taught us all a lesson."
Finally, he stood before the highest podium. Ochako Uraraka, her eyes shining with tears of joy, bowed her head. All Might, with a pride that reflected in his every gesture, placed the gold medal around her neck.
"Young Uraraka," he began, his own voice seeming to crack for an instant. "You have shown the world that will and heart can move mountains… or, in your case, entire stadiums. You fought with ferocity, with intelligence, and above all, with an immense love for your friends. Your parents must be incredibly proud. You are a true champion."
Once the euphoria settled and the fireworks dissipated into the night sky, Izuku, leaning on Toru for support, was heading back to the infirmary down a now nearly empty corridor. His body still protested with every step, but his heart was filled with an overwhelming pride.
"That was… the noblest thing I've ever seen," Toru said, her voice tinged with awe. "Giving it all up for a friend. Your team is on another level, Izuku."
"It's the best team in the world," he replied with a genuine smile.
The sound of hurried heels stopped him. Midnight intercepted them, her usual seductive smile replaced by a genuine, warm one.
"Young Midoriya."
He straightened up, a bit intimidated.
"Your performance today… your courage against young Todoroki, your sacrifice, and above all, your strategic mind… that is the true spirit of a hero," she said, her voice soft and sincere. "Even though you're not on the podium, you deserve a special award."
She stepped closer and wrapped him in a hug. A strong, firm, and very, very tight hug. Izuku felt his face press against the incredible softness of her chest, a universe of curves and perfume that left him breathless.
Oh, for heaven's sake! It's a dream come true! The thought was a lightning bolt of pure teenage euphoria in his brain. The softness… the curvature… the pressure against my face! This is paradise! The manual I got must be of divine quality… wait!
A sharp stab of pain in his ribs, a brutal reminder of his battle, pulled him from his hormonal trance with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
Dammit! My ribs! The sharp pain is keeping me from properly concentrating to analyze the magnificent… assets! My body is betraying me at the most crucial scientific moment! This is the worst luck in the world!
Midnight pulled away, leaving him flushed, dizzy, and wearing an expression of ecstasy and agony. She winked at him, a playful smile on her lips, and walked away down the hall.
"Wow, Izuku!" Toru exclaimed, fanning her face with one hand. "Looks like your fan club is growing every day!"
Much later that afternoon, when the stadium had fallen silent, Shoto Todoroki stood before the door of a quiet psychiatric ward. The nameplate read "Rei Todoroki." After a long moment of hesitation, his reflection in the door showing a gaze filled with both fear and hope, he took a deep breath, a quiet determination on his face, and opened the door.
That night, the Midoriya apartment was a happy chaos. Inko, euphoric and bursting with pride, had invited Ochako's parents over for a celebratory dinner. The normally quiet space was filled with laughter, the clatter of dishes, and the aroma of the best katsudon in the city.
Ochako's father, Kaito, a stout and good-natured man with a laugh that shook the walls, and her mother, Madoka, a sweet and nervous woman who couldn't stop thanking Inko for everything, felt right at home. The three parents connected instantly, a trio united by their unconditional love for their children.
"I can't believe how strong our little girl has gotten!" Kaito said, his voice thick with emotion. "She was always so sweet, and now… now she's a champion! When she used that rubble against that explosive kid, I almost had a heart attack from the excitement!"
"It's all thanks to Izuku!" Madoka added, looking at Inko with gratitude. "He's helped her so much! He's a wonderful boy! Ochako tells me they have dinner together every night!"
Inko wiped away a happy tear.
"My Izuku has always had a heart of gold. And his Ochako is an exceptional girl! They make a perfect couple!"
Izuku and Ochako, sitting side-by-side on the sofa, tried to disappear into the cushions, their faces the same color as the tomatoes in the salad. Beside them, Momo was trying to hold a polite conversation with Kaito about the advantages of using reinforced polymers in floating scaffold construction. Toru, meanwhile, was explaining how her refraction Quirk worked to a fascinated Madoka.
Toga, sitting next to Inko, played her part as a "normal girl" with hilarious awkwardness.
"Yes, Mrs. Uraraka, Ms. Inko's katsudon is so good it makes me want to… cry with joy," she said, with a sincerity that was both completely fake and strangely real.
The dinner was a whirlwind of laughter, good food, and a happiness that felt tangible. Inko told the story of when a little Izuku tried to make an All Might costume out of pots and pans and ended up stuck in the kitchen doorway. Madoka recounted the time a five-year-old Ochako tried to make her dad's car float to help him change a tire and almost sent it onto the neighbor's roof.
In the middle of the celebration, Kaito, a little livened up by the sake Inko had generously served, stood up and clapped Izuku on the back so hard it nearly sent him to the floor.
"So, Izuku!" he boomed, his thunderous voice silencing the apartment. "My little Ochako won't stop talking about you! And you've made her incredibly strong! As her father, I have to ask the million-dollar question…!"
The silence was absolute. Izuku choked on his tea. Ochako let out a strangled squeak that she tried to disguise as a cough. Momo, Toru, and Toga all leaned forward, not wanting to miss a second of the drama.
"What, exactly, are your intentions with my daughter?"
Inko, rather than saving her son, decided to add fuel to the fire. A mischievous smile spread across her face.
"Oh, don't you worry, Mr. Uraraka," she said with a malicious sweetness. "Your daughter is a wonderful girl. We already consider her family here!"
